LEIGH RMI chairman Chris Healey refuses to criticise the town's stay-away soccer fans that have been conspicuous by their absence at Hilton Park this season.

Despite a superb first season in the Nationwide Conference, the Railwaymen have the lowest average attendance in the league - just 682. And last week's 1-0 victory over Kettering attracted only 351 when the break-even figure is around the 1,000 mark.

"Our attendances are a frustration and a worry," said Healey. "But you can't force people to come through the gate. And that's why we are working so hard to raise the profile in the town.

"My disappointment is not with the size of our crowds but that the people of Leigh are missing a treat.

"It would seem that the higher we go in the league, the lower the crowd we attract. On the whole we are playing good football, scoring goals and have only lost one league game in 2001.

Reasons given

"One of the reasons given is that the people of Leigh cannot afford to pay for both football and rugby."

Up to the end of the year and the start of the rugby season, RMI averaged 765 per game. Since that time RMI have only had five home games and the average for these is just 454.

If Leigh Centurions weren't having such a good season then maybe RMI's crowds would be higher. If the Centurions gain promotion to Super League next season the later start to that season may well help the attendance figures for the Railwaymen.

The fact that RMI have only had nine home league games on a Saturday this season may also be a factor. Most Tuesdays, when home matches have been played, there has been competition from televised football. If the original fixture list had remained in place then RMI would have played 15 Saturday home games so far. They only have one remaining Saturday match at Hilton Park which will give a grand total of 10 for the entire season.

RMI start a hectic run of three games in five days with a trip to promotion candidates Yeovil today (Saturday) before home games against Woking and Chester on Monday and Wednesday respectively.