An Elusive Double Century
Today, we will visit Guiseley AFC’s home ground, Nethermoor Park, in what will (hopefully) be a landmark achievement for Hoppers Guide.
Of course, our 200th ground visit should have happened two weeks ago.
Plan A was to visit Hallam FC, the world’s oldest continuously used football ground. A combination of bad weather, pitch inspections, and missed alarm calls meant we headed to West Auckland Town instead.
Not a bad alternative, with plenty of history-making done by West Auckland over the years, too.
After all, how many clubs can claim to have won the first World Cup?
Okay, it wasn’t the World Cup as we know it, but it was the first-ever international trophy. Not only did they win the first one in 1909, but they also retained it two years later, defeating Juventus 6-1 in the final.
It was good to meet up with Dave Bussey, who has been seriously ill of late. He is the man who got me into the Northern League’s history by showing me the Sir Thomas Lipton replica trophy and some genuine winners’ medals on my first visit to Darlington Road.
Good to see you on the road to recovery, sir!
I also met Mike Amos, a retired 50-year veteran of the Northern Echo newspaper. He is also a former Northern League Chairman and now a prolific blogger. This man knows more about the North East and northeast football than the average County Durham library.
Did I mention he also has an MBE?
Second Attempt
Last week, I should’ve visited Redcar Town, but the good old British weather put paid to that. This prompted me to give myself a rare Saturday at home.
However, today is about Guiseley AFC, and this means Nethermoor Park is our 200th football ground visited. 134 of these visits are on the Hoppers Guide website.
This week, I have developed a pain in my foot that has had me limping around the house like Herr Flick of the Gestapo, worrying me about today’s game, too.
However, as you are reading this, it clearly didn’t stop me from travelling, so let’s go and see what Guiseley AFC is all about, shall we?
Images from West Auckland Town
Although there is no blog from the West Auckland trip, I thought I would include some photographs for anyone interested.
You can check out our previous review of Darlington Road here.
Guiseley – The Journey
The day started with me catching the 07:38 #65 bus to Durham, arriving in the cathedral city at 08:08.
I made my way from the bus station to Greggs for a breakfast snack before tackling Mount Durham.
Now, my regular reader will already know I’m not a fan of scaling the East Face of Mount Durham, but throw in a dodgy foot, too?
Let’s just say it’s a good job I had plenty of time! 😂
It was, however, a good indicator of how today’s journey would go…
I caught the 08:41 LNER to Northallerton, arriving at 09:09 with no problems. This left me with a 40-minute wait before the 09:50 TransPennine Express service to Leeds arrived.
Let the Chaos Commence
When I saw it approaching, my heart sank…
Three carriages!
Heading to Manchester Airport!
As you might expect, it was standing room only when it arrived, with a platform full of people needing to board. If only train planners might expect it, too!
I watched the carriages as they passed by, and calculated my best chance of getting on lay with the lead carriage.
After climbing aboard, I found myself in first class, where it was also standing room only.
Can you believe this inept company put on a train from Newcastle to Manchester Airport with just three carriages, deciding one of them should be first class with limited seating?
The incompetence overwhelms my sensibilities!
Everyone managed to squeeze aboard, and we began to familiarise ourselves with each other’s shampoo brands and deodorants.
Along the way, I filed a complaint to TPE, via their website, using a combination of my own and someone else’s fingers…
We arrived in Leeds around 10:50, and I made my way to Platform 2b for the 11:03 Northern service to Guiseley.
In keeping with my day so far, there was no conductor/guard/smooth passage assistant/ or whatever they call themselves these days, because he was late arriving on another train…
You couldn’t make this stuff up.
We eventually left at 11:16, arriving in Guiseley eleven minutes later, with a relieved Hopper putting the stressful train chaos behind him until later.
While I recover my bearings, why not have a read about the town of Guiseley?
Guiseley
Guiseley is a small town in West Yorkshire.
It lies 9.4 miles to the northwest of Leeds city centre, 8 miles northeast of Bradford, and 13.7 miles southwest of Harrogate. Hetton-Le-Hole is 80.4 stressful miles to the northeast.
At the 2021 Census, Guiseley had a registered population of 12,450.
It is believed that Guiseley’s name is derived from the Old English personal name ‘Gislic’ and the word ‘lēah‘, which changed to ‘ley’, meaning ‘clearing‘ or ‘meadow‘. Thus, Guiseley means ‘Gislic’s clearing‘.
Stone Age and Bronze Age artefacts have been discovered in the area, along with a Roman Road, suggesting people have settled or worked here for a long time.
Until the 18th century, Guiseley was mainly a farming area, though with the introduction of cotton, it became an industrialised area with mills.
In 1865, the town got a railway connection, owned by the Midland Railway Company. Redevelopments were carried out at the station in 2002, giving passengers two waiting rooms and a ticket office.
The mills, like most industries in Great Britain, are long gone. Nowadays, many of the mills have been knocked down or converted into shopping outlets.
Another Guiseley institution that is no longer in town is the famous Harry Ramsden’s fish & chip shop. Dating back to its humble beginnings in a wooden hut in Guiseley, Harry Ramsden’s has developed into an internationally recognised brand.
However, the original restaurant, the “world’s largest” fish and chip shop, closed in 2011. The tradition is now carried forward by its present owners, the ‘Wetherby Whaler‘, though it is sad to know that the original Harry Ramsden’s is no more.
Leeds Bradford Airport is a mere 3 miles east of the town, providing residents with a convenient way of getting around the globe.
Notable People From Guiseley
There aren’t too many famous people hailing from Guiseley, but among those that do, you may recognise Harry and Matthew Corbett. Harry was the creator of Sooty in 1952, while his son, Matthew, carried on the show after Harry had retired.
Also from the town are the musical director and composer, Burt Rhodes; the 17-year-old athlete, Rafferty Mirfin; the pioneering electrical engineer, Frank Parkinson; and the acting siblings, Craig and Glenda McKay.
A Walk Around Town
Pubs in Guiseley are a little different to most places that I have visited, and it’s hard to find one that opens before midday.
Not to worry, this gives me time to go and have a look around.
My first port of call was the war memorial, the Saxon cross and the town stocks, which stand set back from the roundabout where Town Gate, Oxford Street and Queensway converge.
The cross is actually a modern take on the old cross destroyed in 1863. The cross you see in the picture was erected in 1913, and now forms part of the Memorial Garden, along with the War Memorial behind it, and the ancient stocks to the front.
From here, I walked down Town Gate and took a right turn onto Well Lane.
Aptly named, for it is here that the Guiseley Wells are located. An essential part of the town’s development, and a reliable source of water for the people living here, for hundreds of years.
After falling into disrepair, they were restored in 2000 by the Friends of Springfield Park and Guiseley Wells.
By now, it was 12 pm, or as Guiseley folk must think of it, “At last, the pub is open!”
After a quick chat with a local walking his dog, I decided to head back up Well Lane to the New Inn on Town Gate, and it proved a great decision.
The New Inn
The New Inn is quite a large pub, with at least two other rooms aside from the bar.
Surprisingly, I was the only one in the bar when I walked inside.
I ordered a pint of Guinness from Sarah, the lovely lady behind the bar, costing me £4.90.
After taking a seat by the window, we got talking about music (Bon Jovi was playing).
From there, things went downhill rapidly for the locals as they slowly started entering the pub. By then, I had already talked Sarah into playing Amon Amarth and other assorted monstrosities that I love.
With Eric and Martin now joining the chat, I mentioned a track I have yet to find anyone who dislikes, despite the fact that nobody has ever heard of the group.
A Vagabond’s Life, by Mono Inc.
The company was so good that I decided to stay, rather than go to the Guiseley AFC clubhouse as planned.
A big thank you to Sarah, Eric and Martin for making me feel welcome and letting me be my cheeky self.
However, despite almost getting another drink, it was time to head to Nethermoor Park and check out the ground.
The walk from the New Inn is 0.7 miles, and took just under 15 minutes, with my limp easing as the day progressed.
I walked back to the top of Town Gate, left onto Oxford Street, and right on Netherfield Road. This brought me to a car park containing a large clock. From here, it was over the rail bridge that backs onto the ground.
Guiseley AFC – Nethermoor Park
A few more pictures as I made my way around the ground. I didn’t use the first set of turnstiles because their card reader had stopped working.
Getting In
Having worked my way from northeast to northwest, I entered Nethermoor Park using my debit card, costing £13.00. Cash is accepted, too, should you prefer.
Inside, I bought a programme, costing me £3.00
For this, you get 48 semi-glossy pages of content, 9 of which are adverts.
Among the impressive amount of content are words from the chairman and the manager. There is a look back at their previous game against Ashton United, a review of 2025, community news, youth team news, club news, and a round-up of NPL news.
For the visiting fans, there is a preview of today’s game, previous meetings, top names to have played for the club, players to watch, and a club history.
All in all, there is a very impressive amount of work put into the programme, and it isn’t littered with adverts like some.
I hope it sells well for them, to keep it a going concern. I would give it a solid 9/10.
Programme
West End
The west end of Nethermoor Park is an open standing area with a raised step for half of it, with two raised steps in the northwest corner. Crush barriers are placed on both raised areas.
The southwest corner is where the players enter the pitch.
South Side
The south side consists of open terracing and two covered sections at each end.
Again, crush barriers are on the lip of each raised terrace, giving plenty of room for people to lean on something while watching the game.
Under the covered sections, there are fewer of the crush barriers.
The clubhouse is also on the south side, located behind the first section of covered terracing at the southwest end.
A security man is on duty at the door, stamping the hands of people entering. He was kind enough to let me step inside and take a quick photo without having my hand stamped.
Four of the grounds eight floodlights are spread along this side of the ground.
East End
The east end of the ground is dominated by a covered terrace that covers the width of the penalty area.
A few Guiseley banners are tied to the back wall of the terrace, and a few of the younger vocal fans gathered here to back their team in the first half.
North Side
The north side contains the seated areas of the ground.
There are two covered stands, providing 500 seats between them.
The northeast corner contains a snack hut, from where I ‘may’ have had something to eat. Just don’t tell Mrs Hopper, because we are starting a diet.
Shhhh!
At the northwest end, where I had entered, is the club shop and a hospitality area.
Inside the club shop, I bought a pin badge for a very reasonable £3.00. A young boy of around 11(?) was in charge of sales in the shop, and he is clearly no stranger to the job.
Great to see youngsters gaining a little work experience from a young age.
The other four floodlights are on this side of the ground.
Nethermoor Park was opened in 1909 and has been home to Guiseley AFC ever since.
Ground upgrades took place ahead of the 2015/16 season to ensure that Guiseley could compete in the National League, following promotion.
The grounds’ record attendance was set against Leeds United in a friendly game on 26th July 2018.
Guiseley AFC – Nethermoor Park Gallery
Guiseley AFC Tidbits
The Guiseley Association Football Club was founded in 1909.
They initially played in the Wharfedale League, winning the title in 1912/13.
Following the culmination of World War I, the club transferred to the Leeds League, and in 1924, to the West Riding County Amateur League.
They won this league title 4 times, including 3 consecutive titles from 1932 to 1935. 1939 saw them win their fourth title.
The league was split into two sections in 1953, with Guiseley being placed in the top division (A).
They again won the division in 1955/56, before reverting to the Leeds League in 1960, now known as the West Yorkshire League.
Success came easily, winning the title in their first year back, and again in the 1963/64 season.
Continuing the nomadic life, Guiseley switched to Division Two of the Yorkshire League in 1968. A League restructure saw them briefly in Division Three, before immediate promotion back to Division Two.
A fourth-place finish saw the Lions promoted to Division One in 1973/74, and although relegated immediately, they came straight back in 1975/76 after clinching the title.
After two runners-up spots between 1979 and 1981, Guiseley were part of the merger that saw the Yorkshire League merge with the Midland League to form the Northern Counties East League, and Guiseley were placed in the Premier Division.
FA Vase Success and Disappointment
After defeat in the semi-final of the FA Vase in 1989/90, Guiseley reached the final the following season. They defeated Gresley Rovers 3-1 in a replay at Bramall Lane, following a 4-4 draw at Wembley Stadium.
The same season saw them clinch the NECL Premier Division title, giving them promotion to Division One of the Northern Premier League.
In 1992, they again reached the final of the FA Vase, losing out this time to Wimborne Town in a 5-3 thriller.
In the same season, they reached the FA Cup 1st Round Proper for the first time, losing to Chester City 1-0.
More success arrived in 1993/94, with the Lions capturing the NPL Division One title and reaching the semi-finals of the FA Trophy.
A club record attendance was achieved on 13th November 1994, when Guiseley played Carlisle United in the FA Cup. The game took place at Bradford City’s Valley Parade ground, with the visitors winning the game 4-1 before 6,548 spectators.
Relegated back to Division One in 1999/00, Guiseley returned to the top division ahead of the 2004/05 season following a league restructuring.
Any disappointment at losing the 2008/09 playoffs was erased by the club winning the NPL Premier Division title the following season. This saw them enter the National League North for the first time.
In each of the next five seasons, Guiseley reached the NL North end-of-season playoffs, twice losing in the final.
National League
The 2014/15 season saw the Lions finally taste playoff success, defeating Chorley 3-2 in the final and securing promotion to the National League.
They reached the 2nd Round of the FA Cup for the first time in 2017/18, losing 3-0 to Mansfield Town.
Their highest-ever league position was 20th of 24 teams in the National League. This occurred in the first two seasons at that level, narrowly missing relegation on both occasions. Their luck didn’t hold, and in 2017/18, they finished bottom of the league.
It got worse in 2021/22, with a subsequent relegation, finding the Lions back in the Northern Premier League, where they have remained.
The club is currently managed by Ian Richards, who took charge as recently as the 30th of October this year. You can read about his appointment here.
They Played for Guiseley AFC
Tony Agana, Rob Atkinson, Simon Baldry, Danny Boshell, Mark Bower, Linton Brown, Sébastien Carole, Jake Cassidy, Ian Cooper, Tom Craddock, Lee Crooks, Bobby Davison, Liam Dickinson, Steve Elliott, Mark Ellis, James Hanson, Des Hazel, Andy Holdsworth, Chris Holland, Geoff Horsfield, Phil Hughes, Kayden Jackson, Malvin Kamara, Callum McFadzean, Martin McIntosh, Oliver Norburn, Kayode Odejayi, George Oghani, Jason Price, Paul Rickers, Liam Ridehalgh, Kevin Sharp, Emile Sinclair, Jason Sraha, Sean St Ledger, Gary Strodder, Mark Stuart, Ciarán Toner, Simon Trevitt, Imre Varadi, Simon Walton, Keith Walwyn, James Wesolowski, Ben Whitfield, and Andy Williams.
The most famous player to represent Guiseley is the flamboyant 1970s forward, Frank Worthington, who, at 42, scored seven goals in 20 league appearances for The Lions in 1990.
Representing both Stoke City and Guiseley is Jacob Brown.
Guiseley AFC – Pre-Game View of Nethermoor Park
Guiseley AFC v Leek Town – The Game
Form
Guiseley have played 19 games this season, winning six, drawing four and losing nine. They have scored 22 goals while conceding 30.
During November, they have played five games, winning two, drawing two and losing one. The loss came on the 1st, against league leaders Hednesford Town.
Since that defeat, they have been on a four-game unbeaten run, including wins in the last two. Last time out, they beat Ashton United 4-2 at home.
Opponents, Leek Town, have played 18 games, winning seven, drawing three and losing eight, while scoring 26 times and conceding 27.
After a 2-0 defeat at Warrington Rylands to open November, the Staffordshire team have also been unbeaten, including a fine 1-0 win over Scarborough in the FA Trophy.
Last time out, the Blues had a magnificent 2-1 win at playoff contenders, Stockton Town.
After considering the above information, I predict a tight game with both teams scoring.
Pre-match prediction: Guiseley AFC 1 Leek Town 1
Kick-Off
Summary
The game followed a similar pattern in both halves, with Guiseley pushing the advantage for most of it, while Leek looked decent for a portion in between.
Overall, however, it was the West Yorkshire team who created the better chances and had the… ahem… Lions share (sorry, not sorry) of the possession.
The goals remained unbreached after the first 45 minutes, with Guiseley coming closest early on, hitting the bar and having a ‘goal’ chalked off for offside.
Leek had to wait until the 37th minute for their first shot on goal, which was well saved and pushed wide for a corner.
Guiseley also came close to a goal two minutes before the interval, but the stalemate prevailed as the teams left the pitch for a well-earned break.
The rain, which had been noticeable only by its absence, started to come down in the first half and persisted for the rest of the game (and the walk back to the station).
Needless to say, it didn’t help the game’s flow, with many passes skidding on beyond the intended mark.
Half-Time – Guiseley AFC 0 Leek Town 0
At half-time, I checked my phone to see how Stoke City and my accumulator were getting on.
My accumulator was looking terrible, and Stoke were looking even worse, being 2-0 down at half-time (losing 4-0 to Sheffield United).
I quickly closed my phone and put both things to the back of my mind.
One of the benefits of groundhopping random stadiums is that the result can’t spoil your day (unless it’s a 0-0).
Second Half
So, were we going to avoid a 0-0 today?
Well, yes, but we had to wait until the 90th minute to see the goal.
Having heard a couple of Staffordshire accents standing next to me, I struck up a conversation with my neighbour.
I soon realised he was doing the match report for Leek, and the other guy was none other than Jon Eeles, the Blues’ chairman.
Good to meet you both, guys!
It’s always nice to hear that North Staffs accent every now and again, to remind me of home. Now I just need to find a local oatcake shop! 😛
Leek must have been hopeful of getting a point after battling away against a better side on the day, but their hopes were dashed when the hosts grabbed a late winner.
Will Longbottom prodded home from close range after some good work from Jordan Thewlis, whose cross put the goal on a plate for Longbottom.
I would have fancied my chances of sticking that one in the onion bag, even with my dodgy foot and an ageing body!
Overall, there can be no complaints from Leek Town, who left Nethermoor with no reward for their endeavours.
Guiseley were serenaded off the field by the Lions’ faithful, with the rain continuing to pour.
You can read a full Match Report here, courtesy of the Guiseley AFC website.
Full-time – Guiseley AFC 1 Leek Town 0
Attendance – 547
Entrance Fee – £13.00
Programme – £3.00
Guiseley AFC v Leek Town – Match Highlights
League Table After Today’s Game
Up Next
Next up for the Lions is a trip to Merseyside to face Prescot Cables on the 13th.
Another tough away trip follows, with Tyneside’s Hebburn Town hosting them on the 20th.
December ends with a home Boxing Day fixture against Gainsborough Trinity, while they start the new year on the road again, with a New Year’s Day trip to Stocksbridge Park Steels.
For Leek Town, they wait until December 20th before facing Rushall Olympic away.
They host Stocksbridge Park Steels on Boxing Day, before a New Year’s Day trip to Warrington Town.
Guiseley AFC Thoughts
I thoroughly enjoyed my day in Guiseley, although public transport and the weather had their best shot at trying.
The folks in the New Inn, and the dog walker who recommended it, were friendly and welcoming.
The ground itself is quirky, with plenty of seats, or terracing if you prefer.
Cash and cards are accepted, which I always appreciate, because everyone has their own preference.
Guiseley’s programme is excellent, and I have no complaints about it. The people behind it obviously put in a lot of work, making the £3 cost good value.
Food is fairly priced, and mine was decent quality, too. I had steak pie, chips and gravy for £6.00. There were plenty of good chunks of steak in the pie, too, which can’t be said for all pies at football grounds.
As I walked around the ground, I noticed a mesh embedded in the path. This was a great idea and rendered the path anti-slip.
I’m not sure about the costs of this kind of thing, but I can think of a few clubs that would benefit from doing something similar.
Thank you to all involved in the day for making my 200th ground visit a good one, despite transport chaos.
If you have never been to Nethermoor Park, you should. I happily recommend a visit!
Guiseley – After the Game
At the final whistle, I started to make my way towards the exit in the southwest corner. First, I watched the players troop off the pitch, as the exit is beyond the players’ entrance to the field.
Once they had all left, the crowd once more started moving along. I soon found myself on Ottley Road. A short walk along here leads to a path (Morton Terrace) that goes to the train station.
It is dark and uneven down this path, so I was grateful for the torch on my mobile phone.
I arrived at Guiseley railway station and saw that a train to Leeds was due at 17:25. I decided to hop on it, even though my ticket was for the 17:59.
This eased a little stress of catching my connection at Leeds. I needn’t have worried!
Reconnecting with Chaos
We arrived in Leeds at 17:45, with my Northern service connection to York due at 18:30.
It eventually arrived at 18:46, all but condemning me to missing my connection from York to Durham. The train pulled into York at 19:16, with my connection at 19:15.
Oh joy! The TransPennine Express service from York to Durham is delayed by 10 minutes. At last, today’s chaos has worked in my favour.
The train pulled in, and, unsurprisingly, was once more standing room only. Oh well, only 50 minutes to wait!
There was an announcement at one point warning the occupants of coach C that CCTV was recording them. I must have misheard, because everyone seemed to be behaving in the coach I was in (C).
The police were awaiting the train at Darlington railway station, so I guess someone, somewhere on the train had been up to no good.
The train arrived in Durham at 20:15, and I happily left the train chaos behind and made my way to the bus station.
I caught the 20:48 #65 bus back to Hetton and was through my front door by 21:20.
Another (mostly) successful Hop in the books.
Next Up for Hoppers Guide
Having hit the 200 mark, next week sees the quest for ground number 250 begin!
We start the new milestone mission by visiting Durham United, which is one of the closest grounds to my home.
They will face Newcastle University in a Northern League Division Two clash at their Maiden Castle home, adjacent to the River Wear.
Having been newly promoted to the Northern League ahead of this season, they have been on something of a learning curve this year.
Newcastle University is a good test for them, as they are also a relative newcomer to the league (promoted to Division Two for the 2018/19 campaign).
I look forward to seeing how Durham acquit themselves, and checking out ground number 38 of the 42 Northern League clubs.
Onto the next!
