Million Pound Game: Batley Bulldogs’ Chief Executive wants the ‘whole of Batley’ to cheer the side on in their quest to reach Super League

The Bulldogs beat Featherstone Rovers 32-28 in a pulsating play-off semi-final at the weekend, leaving them 80 minutes away from a place in Super League.

And this Sunday’s ‘Million Pound’ game will see them travel to a Leigh side who have scored 1,376 points in 28 games.

However, Paul Harrison, Chief Executive of the Mount Pleasant side, insists everyone involved with the club is daring to dream, as well as hoping the “whole town” will make the journey over the Pennines.

He said: “It was a fantastic day for the whole club against Featherstone. The players were confident going into the game and they got the result they deserved.

“We now know we’re going into a massive game against the best team by a country mile but you only need to go back through history - Sheffield beat Wigan at Wembley.

“Our players will be wanting to do their best and whatever the result is, the club will be proud of them.

“Of course we dare to dream. Why not? It’s 80 minutes and a lot can happen in a final. We know we will be the massive underdogs on paper but who knows. Sport is a funny thing.

“The fans were brilliant on Sunday. I went on the supporters bus to the game and they were all non-stop behind the posts for the full 80 minutes.

“The club would just like to thank every single one of them for coming. Hopefully it will be the same again at Leigh and the whole of Batley, with a bit of luck, will be there!

“There is definitely a buzz around the place and I am sure the town will get behind us.”

And if the part-time Bulldogs were to pull off another shock result, is the club ready for Super League?

Mr Harrison, who has been in the role for 17 years following ten seasons as a player with the club, said they were.

“We are ready for it and we have got the standards to get up there. We would have to do a little bit of work on the ground but we know that we could meet the minimum standards to play in Super League if it does come off.

“We would have to add some temporary seating, build a gantry, a bit of work to the floodlights and get a media room.

“But everything is in our capability to do that.

“In terms of the team, it would be very difficult and disrespectful to get rid of the players that we have got now. We have got most of the team signed up already and asking them to pack their job in, for potentially one year, would be very difficult. It would be a big gamble for them.

“So we would be looking at keeping the squad that is there but, obviously, we would be looking at bringing a few players in as well.

“We will be trying to keep as much of the current squad as possible and work around that and the training accordingly.”