9:38am Friday 23rd May 2008
By Ian Whiting
Guiseley may have missed out on the play-offs by one point just a couple of weeks ago but re-building work on the squad has already begun with three new signings.
On Wednesday evening, two Blue Square Premier players and one Blue Square North player put pen to paper and committed themselves to the Nethermoor outfit for the coming campaign.
Assistant manager Wayne Benn said: "Ryan Crossley, Alex Callery and Mark Whitehouse are in the bag and we have irons in the fire to bring others in that will make people sit up and take notice."
Crossley, who began his career at Halifax Town, is a 28-year-old centre back from Farsley Celtic, who has also played with Bradford Park Avenue and Stevenage.
Callery is three years younger, plays wide right and has signed from Gainsborough Trinity.
He has spent a lot of his career in the UniBond League and Avenue is one of his six former clubs. He started out as a youngster with Sheffield Wednesday.
Whitehouse, another midfielder, has been signed from Halifax Town having started off last season in the Northern Counties League.
Reflecting on the new acquisitions, Benn said: "Ryan had lots of offers from other good clubs.
"I know him well but I'm not saying that swung it. His signing is a major coup for us.
"Alex is a right winger who has done his fair share of UniBond clubs but joins us from the Conference North.
"He also had other offers but we spoke to him and I think we sold the club to him.
"Mark had the season of all seasons last year.
"He started with Winterton Rangers in the Northern Counties East Premier Division but was signed by Ossett Albion and moved up into the UniBond.
"He played two games for Albion, one of which was against Halifax Town in the West Riding County Cup when he gave their right back a torrid time.
"Halifax signed him on the strength of that so he stepped up to the Conference proper.
"It has taken a lot of phone calls and a lot of miles on the motorways but we have landed them and will continue to press for our other targets."
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