Guiseley manager Steve Kittrick insists his team won more than just the West Riding County Cup in the season just gone.

The Lions won the cup at Valley Parade against local rivals Thackley, and came within 11 minutes of winning promotion to the highest tier of non-league soccer.

They also had morale-boosting and profile-raising, not to mention lucrative, runs in the FA Cup and FA Trophy.

However, Kittrick feels the main things they gained were experience and the respect of their peers.

“It was a massive season for us, and there is no doubt about that,” said the Lions’ boss.

“The first-round proper of the FA Cup, the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy, won the County Cup and reached the play-off final.

"You would like all those added to your record wouldn’t you? All in one season - I can tell you we would have settled for that had it been offered last August.

“But we have to look back over the whole season for that as it wasn’t nice being beaten at home by Crawley Town and Luton Town and at AFC Telford United.

"It was pretty difficult winning the County Cup because Thackley really took us all the way - they are a strong outfit.”

Instead of settling for a season of consolidation after being promoted into the Blue Square Bet North Division last May, the Lions certainly made their presence felt.

It was not a case of them merely grinding out results either as they lit up the competitions they graced with entertaining play.

“I think we can be happy because we have won a lot of friends in the game over the season,” added Kittrick.

“We have been in new arenas and under the spotlight but the lads haven’t looked out of their depth.

"In fact they have proved they can live with it. I think we need to add one or two top-quality players to the squad we have and then we will be looking towards another campaign of competing at the top end.”

Guiseley director and spokesman Stuart Allen said: “It was a fabulous season, and with the three games in the play-offs it took us well into May, so it will be a short close season.

"I don’t know what Steve has arranged with the players but they will have to get their holidays in now or not at all.

“The Bradford City game (the Bantams are obliged to face Guiseley as part of the deal that took James Hanson to Valley Parade almost two years ago) is pencilled in for July, so June will be the only month without any football for Guiseley Football Club.”