A season which promised so much and provided so many highs for Guiseley could not have finished with a more empty feeling.

The Lions were determined to finally grasp promotion to the Conference Premier Division and for much of the campaign they were in with a chance of the only automatic place.

They were also on a mission to reach the first round of the FA Cup, go one better than the previous season by reaching the FA Trophy quarter-finals and defend the West Riding County Cup.

At the turn of the year, Guiseley were still challenging for the Blue Square Bet North title but Chester’s dominance of the league left Steve Kittrick’s men battling for pole position in the end-of-season play-offs by the end of February.

Despite dropping several points from then on, the Lions still bagged their second runners-up finish on the trot.

Having missed out on the lucrative and profile-boosting first round of the FA Cup in the previous season, Guiseley made it last season but the draw was not kind.

While neighbours Bradford Park Avenue were heading to League One table-toppers Doncaster Rovers, the Lions hosted Conference Premier strugglers Barrow and, after a draw at home, they lost the replay in Cumbria.

There was still the FA Trophy but, after a superb 3-1 win over promotion rivals Brackley Town, the Lions went out with a whimper when beaten 2-0 at lower-ranked Skelmersdale United in the second round.

Progress in the County Cup continued, at neighbours Harrogate’s expense, as Town and then Railway Athletic were both blown away 5-0 in the quarter- and semi-finals respectively. The Lions were into the final and looking for a third successive crown.

But it was another neighbouring team that would prove to be Guiseley’s nemesis as FC Halifax Town stood in the way at every twist and turn.

The clubs met five times in just over a month as the season reached a climax. The Shaymen and the Lions were worthy adversaries but it was Neil Aspin who trumped Kittrick in the two clashes that ultimately defined the campaign.

Guiseley’s chance of catching Chester at the summit was gone before they hosted Halifax in the first of the league derbies at the beginning of May. That clash ended 1-1, as did the reverse fixture at the Shay a little over a fortnight later.

Second-placed Guiseley were up against the fifth-placed club in the play-offs and at home in the deciding second leg by virtue of their higher placing. Their opponents were the Shaymen and once again they drew 1-1 before Aspin’s men won 2-0 at Nethermoor to clinch a place in the final.

Just days after beating Brackley to earn promotion to the top tier, Halifax faced Guiseley at Valley Parade in the County Cup final. Again it was difficult to separate the sides but, after a goalless 90 minutes, the Shaymen finally loosened Guiseley’s grip on the trophy with a Gareth Seddon strike in extra time.

A second runners-up medal of the season was no consolation at all for the devastated Lions.