Jukes quits as Leigh coach
LEIGH Centurions head coach Neil Jukes has resigned from his position at the club after an ‘emotional’ discussion with owner Derek Beaumont.
The recently-relegated side have lost three of their first four Betfred Championship fixtures, most recently falling to a 32-26 defeat at home to 12-man Toulouse Olympique, despite leading 20-6 in the second half.
Assistant boss Kieron Purtill has been installed as caretaker coach, with Leigh now advertising the position.
After his playing career was cut short by injury, Jukes became a highly-regarded community coach and began coaching the Centurions’ reserves in 2009, was assistant to Paul Rowley and then replaced the Toronto boss when he quit on the eve of the 2016 season.“Since returning to Leigh I’ve been part of this club for nearly 10 years and I believe I’ve served it with distinction as assistant coach and head coach,” said the 41-year-old. “We’ve had some unbelievably great times that I will never forget and also some bad times, far worse than we are experiencing at the moment. What is important is to get the club and the playing group to where it needs to be and there comes a time when everyone’s lifespan on the shelf comes to an end.”
Beaumont said: “We had a really interesting two-hour conversation that I found very emotional, seeing a guy I know cares so deeply about this club so much that he wants to leave the position open to a guy he believes will be better than him to take the club forward.”