Women’s Football: Guiseley Vixens forced into liquidation owing to a lack of funds

Over the last four years, the club have experienced almost all of the emotions that the sport has to offer. There was the despair of relegation, the euphoria of promotion, the relief of league survival and the security of a mid-table finish.

However, an unpredictable roller-coaster of emotions has instead come to the most definitive of ends – extinction.

A club statement released on Saturday read: “Despite all attempts to move to a more sustainable financial model, we have been unable to acquire the funding and infrastructure required to continue our football operations.”

This is, of course, nothing new in the women’s game, with small, yet successful Super League clubs such as Notts County and Yeovil Town having matters taken out of their hands owing to a lack of funds.

And now it is Guiseley’s turn to feel the monetary mallet crash down in full force.

Manager Glen Preston described his time there as being “the best three years of (his) life”, while many more throughout the club have paid their tributes with social media posts.

Guiseley Vixens had been playing in the third tier of the Pyramid – the FA Women’s National League North.

The Vixens finished eighth out of 13, one place above Nottingham Forest Ladies.