Guiseley

Guiseley AFC is a semi-professional non-league football club that was formed in 1909 based at Nethermoor Park in the small town in West Yorkshire of Guiseley; which is located in the metropolitan borough of the City of Leeds.

The club kicked off life competing in the Wharfedale League, becoming league champions in 1912-13 before switching to the Leeds League and then the West Riding County Amateur League. Guiseley won the league title in 1932-33, 1933-34, 1934-35 and 1938-39.

The competition split into two divisions in 1953, with ‘The Lions’ winning Section A in 1955-56 before reverting to the Leeds League in 1960 becoming champions in 1960-61 and 1964-65. The club joined the Yorkshire League in 1968, where they were placed in Division Two.

After the league was enlarged Guiseley dropped down to Division Three in 1970 but regained their Division Two place with promotion twelve months later. A further promotion followed in 1973-74 but the jump proved too severe as they went back down after just one season.

However, the team regrouped and won promotion back to Division One at the first attempt where they ended up as runners-up in 1979-80 and 1980-81 before the league merged with the Midland League to form the Northern Counties East League. Guiseley were placed in the Premier Division.

Aside from the 1986-87 season Guiseley never finished outside the top seven places for the rest of the decade. In 1989-90 Frank Worthington signed for the club as they reached the semi-finals of the FA Vase; going out on aggregate to Bridlington Town.

In 1990-91 the Lions went one step further defeating Warrington Town, Farsley Celtic, King’s Lynn, Hinckley Athletic, Buckingham Town and Trowbridge Town to reach the final at Wembley Stadium under manager Gordon Rayner.

The match against Gresley Rovers ended in a thrilling 4-4 draw before Guiseley lifted the trophy in a 3-1 replay win at Bramall Lane. The season was rounded off as the team became Northern Counties East League Champions and were promoted to Division One of the Northern Premier League.

Guiseley came desperately close to retaining the Vase in 1991-92, reaching the final once again before losing 5-3 to Wimborne Town at Wembley. A run in the FA Cup saw the side reach the first round before going down 1-0 away to Chester City.

Ray McHale had become manager as Guiseley won the Division One title in 1993-94 as well as reaching the semi-final of the FA Trophy where they went out to Runcorn. The following season saw another FA Cup round one appearance, ending in a 4-1 defeat to Carlisle United in a game moved to Valley Parade in Bradford.

Bobby Davison arrived as Player Manager to replace McHale during 1997-98 with youngsters being given a chance to impress. After a third place finish Guiseley went down from the Premier Division in 1999-00 as Davison was replaced by Neil Parsley.

Luton Town won at Nethermoor Park in the FA Cup first round in 2002-03 before the Lions were restored to the Premier Division following a restructuring of non-league football in the summer of 2004. Experienced Football League boss Terry Dolan was appointed as manager in November 2006.

Steve Kittrick replaced Dolan in November 2007 with his side reaching the play-off final in 2008-09 but losing out to Nantwich Town in their semi-final encounter, before bouncing back to lift the Northern Premier League title in 2009-10 and winning promotion to Conference North.

The following season saw Guiseley bow out in the first round of the FA Cup to Crawley Town as well as making the league play-offs. Boston United were defeated but AFC Telford United came out on top in the final. Stars of the Guseley show were forwards James Walshaw and Darryn Stamp.

In 2011-12 Nuneaton Town beat Guiseley in the play-off semi-final. In 2012-13 FC Halifax Town did the damage at the same stage after an earlier first round appearance in the FA Cup, which ended in a replay defeat to Barrow.

The consistency in the league continued in 2013-14 under new manager Mark Bower who replaced Kittrick. On this occasion North Ferriby United were overcome in the semi-final before Altrincham won the final 2-1 at Moss Lane with Danny Forrst netting for the Lions.

The play-off curse was finally put to bed in 2014-15 when AFC Fylde were defeated before Guiseley beat Chorley at Victory Park in dramatic style, after coming back from a two goal deficit as Adam Boyes, Liam Dickinson and Nicky Boshell scored to send the club into the National League.

Guiseley narrowly escaped relegation in their first season at the summit of non-league football before Adam Lockwood replaced Bower after a poor start to the 2016-17 season. The team once again just stayed up before Paul Cox was appointed as the new manager in September 2017.

Accrington Stanley were defeated in the FA Cup as Guiseley reached the second round for the first time before succumbing away to Mansfield Town. Cox lasted until February 2018 before being replaced by Sean St Ledger who couldn’t prevent his team from being relegated.

Back in National League North the club turned to the duo of Marcus Bignott and Russ O'Neill to lead the team. Cambridge United were defeated in the FA Cup before Fleetwood Town left Nethermoor Park with a win in round two before Guiseley narrowly survived relegation.

One decent season was followed by an abandoned one before the 2021-22 campaign saw defeat in the first round of the FA Cup to AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane before league form imploded leading to  Steve Kittrick coming in as caretaker boss but could not help save the side from relegation back to the Northern Premier League.

Danny Ellis was appointed as manager in the summer of 2022 who remained in charge until the November of his first season at the helm. Paul Phillips was eventually named as his successor, before being succeeded by Andy Welsh in October 2023. Former boss Mark Bower was appointed in April 2024 to try and lead Guiseley to promotion.

Guiseley AFC will play in the Northern Premier Premier Division in the 2024-25 season.

My visits

Guiseley 2 Scarborough 2 (Saturday 6^th August 1994) Yorkshire Electricity Cup (att: 375)

It was a steaming hot day as a group of us set off by train for a game in the short lived pre-season tournament, equipped in our new Boro shirts, which drew attention at Leeds station as they were red with white and black trim.

After a quick pint we continued onto Guiseley where The Station pub sold an absolute cock on pint of Tetley’s. It was touching the taste buds of Crusher and I so  we stayed for a couple more along with Carl Ellis before walking up Otley Road to Nethermoor Park.

The neat set up at the ground saw more fine ale in the clubhouse. We also had access to  watch the cricket over the fence. That would prove to be a decent option. Boro were in transition after chairman John Russell had sacked popular manager Steve Wicks.

His replacement was a  former playing legend at the club; big centre back Billy Ayre who was used to dealing with nutty owners as his previous appointment was under Owen Oysten at Blackpool. Talk about “out of the frying pan and into the fire”.

I offered Billy a “welcome home” and a handshake as he emerged from the tunnel. He responded with a “thanks, son”. Guiseley’s boss was another former Seadog favourite in Ray McHale, whose programme message in the £1 edition caused a giggle for the visiting fans.

It included a cutting line about a former Scarborough chairman an apology saying that it was meant for Tuesday’s programme. Guiseley would be facing Bradford City, whose chairman was Geoffrey Richmond who’d not been particularly helpful to Razor during his tenure at the McCain Stadium.

Most fans settled for a vantage spot on the far side in the shelter of the seated stand. There was also a bit of cover down the clubhouse side. The whole ground was neat and tidy in most pleasant surroundings.

Further giggling came from the locals as their side gave Boro a bit of a chasing at times. It was a most unconvincing performance for a Football League side against Northern Premier League opposition. We were asked if it was our reserve team? Alas it was not.

Boro escaped with a draw thanks to goals from Stuart Young and Darren Foreman who was continuing his rehabilitation from a broken leg. Sadly, he never really recovered his potency from before the injury; at least in a Scarborough shirt.

Lubrication was taken at regular intervals. It played its part in an interesting post match conversation with a ratty John Russell who was complaining about fans having a go at him about his sacking of Wicks.

The later convicted fraudster told us that Wicks would bankrupt the club with his spending and demands, so he was looking after its best interests. He also told us of new players who were on their way and a couple of Czech’s he was looking to sign.

Looking back it was comedy gold; especially the bit about signing Czech’s. The joke was that they’d probably bounce. Inevitably enough, they never arrived but it made him feel better telling us. We left in a state of bewilderment, but it was a hot day and we were thirsty.

Leeds station was busy on our return and had some real sights on their way back from the Saturday’s Test play at Headingley, where England failed to take control against South Africa.

Wednesday 17^th September 2008

I’d enjoyed an extensive tour of several football venues in West Yorkshire the day after watching Scarborough Athletic play at Glasshoughton Welfare. I’d stayed overnight in Leeds before visiting Bradford, Halifax, Thackley, Shipley and Saltaire.

The World Heritage Site at Salts was interesting and good exercise before a train at Shipley took me to Guiseley for my final football call of the day. Although the ground was locked, the low perimeter fence allowed me to take photos.

It hadn’t really changed since my previous visit; take for perhaps an additional bit of cover down the clubhouse side? The seated stand had been ravaged my fire but was in the process of repair.

Once done I continued a few minutes further up Otley Road to the original Harry Ramsden’s. It was closed and now a franchise operation; unlike when it first opened and had a reputation for being the best chippy in the area.

A bus took me back to Leeds in time for a final pint and to grab something to eat before I caught the train back to London.