THE Dennyboys have outstripped expectations so far this term and they have been driven on by midfield general and club captain Pat McGuire.

The skipper, who began his career with home town club Bradford City, is enjoying the moment and is back in love with the game.

With Thackley involved in the race for the title in the top tier of the Toolstation Northern Counties East League their talisman is in the form of his life.

McGuire said: “I don’t want to tempt fate but I’d say – yes – this is one of the best spells of my entire career.

“It’s just nice to be enjoying football again and as a club, as a squad of players we’re going into games with expectation.”

The current playing staff at Dennyfield could be excused for thinking that the days of the small club on the northern fringes of the city, who were founder members of the Northern Counties East Premier Division, challenging at the top end of the table were history.

McGuire and his team mates are very much in the push for promotion this term, just over two years after the club almost slipped out of existence.

“We’ve been through difficult times recently but we’ve been through them together and that has made us stronger as a group,” said McGuire.

“I don’t just mean the players because the club, the supporters and everyone else involved has been through the mill. I think that we’ve picked up now because of the gaffer.

“Chris Reape and Paul Clayton stayed with us and that’s made the biggest difference for my money.”

The results have kept coming and the pressure on the Dennyboys to stay with the leading pack is generating the desire to match their title rivals.

McGuire said: “It’s that tight at the top that you can’t afford to lose at the moment and that’s driving us on.

“We lost at Hemsworth in our last game and although it was to two late goals I thought we got what we deserved. We didn’t play well at all, in fact I think that’s the first time we looked as though we were playing under pressure.

“It was our first defeat in 11 games but fortunately we play them again on Monday and we are hoping to right a few wrongs when they come to Dennyfield.”