Dave Ryan reports…
Leopards have announced their first signing of the season, with centre Leigh Greenan returning for a third spell with the club.
The seven-footer played for National Cup winners Hemel Storm along with University of Essex last season, and is the first signing who will play for both the Big Cats and UofE.
Greenan came through the youth teams in his home top of Ipswich before linking up with Barking Academy where he first played for Leopards as a teenager during the 2007/8 and 2008/9 seasons.
He returned to Barking Abbey before signing a pro contract with the Big Cats for the 2010/11 season as Leopards finished runners-up in Division One.
Former England & GB junior international Greenan then returned to Ipswich, helping them to promotion in the 2012/13 season and spending five years with the Suffolk club before signing for Storm last summer.
Head coach Thomas Baker is delighted with his first signing of the summer: “Signing Leigh is really important for us” he said.
“He is a model professional and always has a significant impact on every team he is on. From the conversations I’ve had with Leigh it is clear he is focussed on the season ahead. I really look forward to working with him as we look to put a team together to achieve promotion this year.
“Ipswich will forever be a massive part of Leigh’s journey and it is testament to what a great club they are when you see what a great player Leigh is.
“The signing of Leigh also solidifies the relationship between us and University of Essex. It is going to be an exciting journey for us this season and this signing is just the start of what is a bright future for the club.”
Greenan is excited about returning to the Big Cats: “I’m looking forward to an exciting season, going back to a club I played for when I was younger is exciting. I look forward to getting underway with the season and pushing for promotion to get the club back to Division One.”
The Director of Sport at the University of Essex, Dr Dave Parry, is pleased to see the partnership with Leopards already taking shape: “Our ambition is that the partnership between the University of Essex and Essex Leopards will be the start of a journey towards the highest echelons of the sport.
“At Essex we are committed to supporting the development of dual-career athletes, and the signing of Leigh Greenan, one of our highest profile scholarship athletes, to play for Leopards for the forthcoming season is symbolic of both our ambition and our continued commitment to an athlete-centred programme.”
Greenan will make his return in the Leopards’ kit at the Essex Classic at the Brentwood Centre on September 8/9th. Details at www.leopardsbasketball.co.uk.
