Watch Batley Bulldogs arrive for the 'Million Pound Game' against Leigh Centurions for a place in Super League

Former head coach John Kear has praised the work behind the scenes at the Mount Pleasant club.

Ahead of the 6.30pm kick off, he said: “It’s magnificent. They have done really well in recent years. It just shows what a well run club can do when everybody is pulling in the right direction.

"It’s a fairytale and if they win today I don’t know what we’ll do!

“They are 80 minutes from Super League. These are players who work for a living.

"Rest assured, they will give it absolutely everything.

“Whether they have got the quality to achieve it, I don’t know because this is the best Championship team I have seen full stop.

"They have got their work cut out but it won’t be for the want of trying.”

The dad of Kieran Buchanan, Kevin, also revealed his excitement outside the ground.

He said: “We have probably overachieved over the year and we probably had our grand final last week. Let’s make the most of today.

“My son, Kieran, has been there for two years now so he’s gone there at the right time! I want him to do well.

"Let’s hope they can make the town proud.”

Dean Wheatley, who is at the game with his nephew Will Renshaw, greeted the players as they arrived the ground and claimed it was a “big achievement”.

He said: “It is absolutely fantastic. It is a big achievement for the club when you think how small a club we are.”