Guiseley looking to add '˜clever' signings

The Lions, who visit National League North leaders Chorley tomorrow, have already brought in some key additions this month to bolster their depleted squad, with young Sheffield United midfielder George Cantrill and experienced centre-back Josh Langley making their loan debuts at Chester last weekend.

With the Nethermoor outfit still relatively low on numbers, Bignot is eyeing further progress this month.

He said: “Another couple more additions would help the group, to be honest. We are always looking.

“We are still governed by the financial situation at the football club, so we will have to be shrewd and clever. But a couple more would certainly help.

“A couple from the academy are also emerging which is a boost, with Kieron Cessay playing on Tuesday night.

“Tabish Hussain has also just returned from injury and it is important from inside as well as outside the club as well.”

Professing his delight at the timely capture of loan pair Cantrill and Langley, who have boosted the club’s outfield options, he added: “We were running thin and when you look at our recruitment from the summer, we have nearly lost the entire back four in terms of Louis Swain, Scott Garner and Terry Kennedy and Reece Thompsone.

“We have been decimated with injuries and throughout the season, we brought Jo Cummins and Louis Walsh in, who have returned back to their parent clubs and we also lost Will Hatfield and Cliff Moyo last weekend.

“So it was a much-needed boost to get the pair. Especially a player with the ability and experience of Josh Langley, who has won this league and got a promotion out of it.

“To get someone with the technical ability and potential which was on show with George Cantrell is terrific as well.

“The two of them bring some much-needed quality to the squad in terms of the ball. We have got two at different ends of the spectrum – one player with experience and one with potential. That is the kind of recruitment vehicle we want to go down.”

The formbook may point to a home victory for Chorley at Victory Park tomorrow, but Bignot says that the Lions – who eased past Yorkshire Amateur on Tuesday to book a place in the semi-finals of the West Riding County Cup – head across the Pennines with confidence.

He said: “We go there with confidence on the back of a lot of positives from Tuesday.

“We have taken the County Cup really seriously.

“We want to win, but it is also an opportunity to get some players game time and an opportunity to get some much needed minutes.

“It is also an opportunity to look at some young potential we have within the academy. It was a really good night, result and performance. We are now looking forward to Chorley.

“We played them early on in the season and even though we never got the result, it was a positive performance from us.

“It is opportunity to get some more points on the board.”

Second-placed Bradford Park Avenue host Blyth Spartans.