Ridyard signs new Leigh deal
Martin Ridyard has signed a contract extension with Leigh tieing him to the club until the end of November 2018.
Ridyard had been linked to a move with Wakefield earlier this season.
The playmaker, who will be 30 later this month, is Leigh Centurions’ longest-serving player having made his debut in 2009 in the Club’s first season at LSV.
Since then Ridyard has become one of the consistently outstanding players in the Championship, recognised when he carried off the Kingstone Press Championship Player of the Year in 2014 when he also won the Tom Bergin Trophy as Man of the Match in the grand final victory over Featherstone Rovers.
An instrumental figure in Leigh’s trio of successful League Leaders Shield campaigns between 2014 and 2016, he also won Northern Rail Cup Final winners medals in 2011 and 2013.
This season he has kicked 95 goals and is closing in on a century of goals for a fifth successive campaign.
Having passed the 200-game milestone for his hometown Club earlier this year, Ridyard proudly holds the record of being the third highest goal-kicker and points-scorer in the Club’s history.
His career tally for the Centurions currently stands at 1,702 points from 75 tries and 705 goals (including eight drop-goals) in 209 games.
Leigh Centurions Head Coach Neil Jukes said: “I’m delighted that Ridy has decided to extend his contract with us. I’ve known him a long time. I speak on behalf of all the staff in saying that we are all looking forward to continuing to work with him.
“Earlier in the season Martyn achieved his latest milestone in overtaking Neil Turley and becoming Leigh’s third highest points-scorer.
“I said then that I think Martyn can go on and achieve a lot more in a Leigh shirt as long as he keeps working hard.
“I’ve seen some really good signs since that day and a genuine commitment from him that he wants to achieve that. He’s a local guy who rightly commands a lot of respect from the town of Leigh, myself and the rest of the players and staff.
“Martyn, I’m sure has a lot more individual records he’d like to break but his ultimate goal is to be part of the Leigh side that gets into Super League. He has a huge part to play not only for the rest of this season but for the future.”
Leigh Centurions Owner Derek Beaumont said: “I am really pleased Martyn is continuing his career with us into its tenth year at the end of this contract. He has been a fantastic servant to the club and the town and is part of the furniture here at Leigh.
“Being a local lad who served Leigh Miners so well before moving into the professional ranks he has been totally committed to Leigh Centurions, his only professional club.
“He has the opportunity to continue passing landmarks and breaking records and that is something he richly deserves.
“Martyn has consistently been one of the Championship’s top players and has ambitions to prove himself in Super League. He has worked extremely hard of late in a tough, competitive environment which we haven’t really had before at the club. He has responded to it well, where others may have walked away.
“He has proved he is up for that challenge and to better himself as a result to reach his full potential. The coaching team make the decisions and I conduct the business and they believe Martyn can really add to his game and relish the challenge of Super League.
“For what it’s worth, so do I and I look forward to watching Martyn continue in a Leigh shirt hopefully to the very end of his career. I am sure this will be news well received by our fans.”