Salford. In April 2009, Neil Kelly took up the position of Director of Rugby at the club and his assistant Paul Rowley became head coach. Simon Knox became assistant coach. At the end of the 2009 season, despite winning a 'must win' game at home to Whitehaven 47-14 other results went against Leigh and they were relegated to Championship 1. Leigh were reinstated into Co-operative Championship on 11 November 2009 after the RFL Board took the decision after Gateshead Thunder's chairman Steve Garside wound up Gateshead and Newcastle Rugby Ltd. Ian Millward returned as the club's head coach for 2010, Leigh took advantage of their reprieve and had a terrific season, finishing in third place in the Co-Operative Championship before losing at home in the play-offs to Sheffield Eagles, whilst also reaching the semi-finals of the Northern Rail Cup before being knocked out by eventual winners Batley Bulldogs. The 2011 season saw Leigh start as league pacesetters losing their first league game of the season in early June at home to Halifax. That defeat was more than made up for by defeating Halifax 20–16 in the final of the Northern Rail Cup at Blackpool's Bloomfield Road on Sunday 17 July 2011 after a match-winning try in the final 30 seconds of a thrilling encounter from young centre Tom Armstrong. They finished the season well, finished 2n in the league, but they failed in the play-offs, losing to Featherstone Rovers in the qualifying final then losing to Sheffield Eagles in the final eliminator. Ian Millward left his position as head coach at the end of the 2011 season to take over as head coach at Super League side Castleford Tigers. A new head coach has yet to be appointed (January 2012) with Paul Rowley and Neil Jukes currently in temporary charge of first team matters. Rowley was later appointed first team coach on a permanent basis in January 2012. After a successful first season in charge which included guiding the club to 2nd in the Championship and a Northern Rail Cup semi-final, Rowley was named Championship Coach of the year. In February 2013 Rowley signed a new contract at the club, which will keep him at the club until the end of 2015. Rowley resigned as Leigh Centurions head coach 10 days before the start of the 2016 Championship season, citing personal reasons. 2012–2016: Super League bid In 2012 the club