LEIGH RMI last night gave a massive boost to manager Steve Waywell, as they confirmed that he would be the man to take them through their battle against the drop by Martyn Hindley.

Waywell has been a highly successful manager since coming to Leigh from Curzon Ashton almost six years ago, gaining promotion from the Unibond First Division One in 1997 and taking his side to a Premier League championship three years later.

Against all the odds, RMI finished fifth in the Nationwide Conference first time out but after experiencing mixed fortunes this term, a highly publicised meeting was called to discuss the future of the highly-sought after boss.

Officials of the club emerged from the meeting confident that Waywell can lead the team to safety in the Conference but declined to comment further on the issue, thankful only that rumour concerning the club and Waywell himself has finally been cast aside.

However, the sighs of relief coming from the terraces were notable, with one supporter Dave Leyland responding to the news in enthusiastic fashion: "Steve has shown a lot of loyalty to Leigh RMI in the past and has achieved a lot, so I'm glad that he is staying. I think that with him in charge, we are capable of staying in the Conference at the end of the season, especially if the fans and players get behind him and we can have some unity at the club."

Tomorrow Waywell gets back to the business of steering the Railwaymen's quest for Conference survival as they take on Telford at Hilton Park.