Leigh Centurions have scrapped plans to merge with arch-rivals Wigan to form a joint reserve grade set-up.

If the move had gone ahead, Leigh would have had enough cash to run an Under 18s team for the first time since 2006.

But the RFL have ruled that a joint Leigh/Wigan Under 21s reserve grade side was unacceptable.

The Centurions will now revert to running their own U21s team while still targeting the best young talent at U18s level with a view to setting up a squad at that age group in the near future.

After months of rumour and speculation about the proposed merger between Leigh and Wigan, Centurions chief executive Allan Rowley has issued a statement.

He says: “Although there were discussions before Christmas about the possibility of an alliance with Wigan for the reserve grade this will now not happen.

“First and foremost the reason for pooling resources was that would have freed up income to run an U18s team. The reserve grade is used for playing squad players and fringe players and you would be lucky to develop more than six players in any season.

“We have now got a vibrant scholarship system in place and are producing elite players through our system up to the age of 16, but because we have not been running an U18s, we have been doing lots of good work for other clubs to reap the benefit.

“Wigan, although in Super League and running both teams, agreed with the principle of an alliance therefore the proposal meant we would share training, travelling and venue expenses which would free up income for both clubs allowing both to invest more at U18s.

“We would have paid our contracted players and Wigan would have paid theirs and instead of both having a reserve team with six or seven good players, we would have had one team with 17 elite players.

“Before the cynics start shouting ‘we would be a feeder team’ in a sense we already are, because if Wigan move for any of our players who are coming out of contract we can’t compete financially with them anyway so there is no difference.

“All was looking like it could take place when the RFL told us that to run an U18s team you had to run an U21s or Reserve Grade and a Leigh/Wigan alliance didn’t count.

“We were disappointed in this because if nothing else we feel that we were creating a pathway for elite players to play at the highest level and therefore ensuring more quality coming through to the first teams through a home-grown players system.

“We have now reverted to running our own U21s again this season and have been accepted in the competition. However, the target age group is to sign U18s players and then allow them to play at their respective clubs until they are ready to make the switch.”

The resignation of reserve team coach Dave Ingram before Christmas has left the club with a vacancy. A decision is to be made in the next few weeks whether to advertise or promote from within.

The Centurions face another problem in where they would play their U21s games.

High hire costs could prevent them playing at the new stadium while current legislation would prevent them playing on the artificial surfaces at Leigh East.