DARREN Abram isn't one for making wild predictions, but the recently-appointed Leigh Centurions head coach is making one promise.

"I'm not going to say we'll do this, or do that. But I will promise the fans now that our bid to win the Grand Final won't falter because of a lack of enthusiasm," he says.

"The days of this club buying in older war horses to try and win a Super League place are over. I'm assembling a squad with youth and hunger that wants to succeed, not only at National League One level but also at the next level.

"If we do win promotion I can see us taking something like 19 over this year's squad up with us. That's the sort of thing I want, young players eager to play for Leigh and keen to prove themselves on the next rung of the ladder."

In the month since his appointment Abram has virtually re-assembled the Centurions' playing squad and says it is now 95 per cent complete.

"I want to top the squad off with another two or three signings and hopefully by the end of the month that job will have been done," he says.

"I'm very comfortable with the signings we've made so far. The board worked really hard while I was on holiday to get players signed up. Tommy Martyn and I gave them a list, and they've done brilliantly considering the financial constraints the club is under this year because of the salary cap."

Major disappointment

One major disappointment for Abram was Alan Hadcroft's 11th hour decision to reject an improved Leigh contract and sign for Halifax.

"We worked hard to keep Alan here. We offered him an improved contract and he verbally agreed to stay with us. I appears that Halifax then came in and offered him something better. We simply could not match that and reluctantly had to let him go," Abram reveals.

One new face added this week is Chorley half-back Mick Coates who Abram rates very highly. "He's a cheeky, cocky half-back who is more than ready to move on to our level," he says.

But the future of another target, Widnes prop Ryan McDonald is more uncertain.

Although he has a verbal agreement with Leigh, Halifax have also made him an offer and now there is the possibility that Widnes will want to keep him anyway.

Leigh began their pre-season training this week with a staff and players' meeting on Monday. The serious work began last night (Wednesday) and will continue for at least four sessions per week.