Leigh Leopards and Wigan Warriors celebrate rugby success at Town Hall

With Leigh Leopards securing their first Challenge Cup trophy for 52 years on their return to the Super League, a huge homecoming event was organised to celebrate the club's success.

As Wigan Warriors also enjoyed a hugely successful season, winning the Super League and Grand Final, the borough's clubs were invited to a town hall event on Friday, February 1 to showcase their trophies with council officials.

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Wigan Council officials welcomed the Leopards and Warriors at Wigan Town Hall (Image: Wigan Council)
Speaking at the event, Leopards coach Adrian Lam said: "Just to see these trophies, when you look at what both teams have done, especially Wigan last year with the amount of trophies that they have won has been amazing, and the experience that we all [Leopards] encountered throughout the 2023 season with the Challenge Cup.

"I remember vividly the open-top bus coming back through the town of Leigh and at the town hall, it was amazing. I think it gave the town something to cheer about."

Derek Beaumont spoke of his 'dream' of a Wigan and Leigh Grand Final (Image: Wigan Council)
Players, coaches, and club leaders of both clubs were in attendance at the civic event, with Leigh chairman Derek Beaumont speaking of his "dream" of a Leigh and Wigan Grand Final at the end of the season.

He said: "We won the Challenge Cup the year after Wigan won it so they won everything last year, apart from that, so it would be nice to get something else off that table.

"It would be a real dream for me to see a Wigan and Leigh Grand Final and I think there is a real possibility of that happening this year.

"We obviously want to try and retain the Challenge Cup [this season]. It has been 50 years apart from each time we have won it so [we want to] back it up and win it back to back - which I think only four clubs have ever done that."

Both club's trophies were showcased at the event (Image: Wigan Council)
With the 2024 Super League season starting on Thursday, February 16, the Leader of Wigan Council spoke of his pride in the borough's two clubs and said that their success could be shared for years to come.

Leader of the Council, Cllr David Molyneux, said: "It is certainly something that we are very proud of in this borough, in terms of our sporting heritage, and we certainly know, with the investment that's gone into both teams for this year, that this success is going to continue.

"As Leader of this council, I am very proud of what both teams have achieved and I am certainly looking forward to the season ahead."