Guiseley manager Steve Kittrick has had a busy week on the player front as he continues to put plans into place to reshape the Lions squad for another assault on promotion to the Blue Square Bet Premier Division.

The Lions were runners-up in the Blue Square Bet North last season but lost out on promotion in the play-offs.

Kittrick and his staff had tough calls to make and following much soul-searching, announced that they were releasing supporters’ player of the season Dave Merris, former Northern Ireland international Ciaran Toner and striker Joe O’Neill.

Within days they followed with the news that Josh Wilson, a 24-year-old striker from Vauxhall Motors, and left back or midfielder Rhys Meynell, 24, from Stalybridge Celtic, had been drafted in.

Wilson, along with Lions skipper Simon Ainge, has just been called up to the England non-league team to play in Russia next month at Dynamo Moscow’s stadium.

Kittrick has also secured the services of forward Danny Forrest and defender Jamie Clarke for the coming season. Both have agreed to extend their stay at Nethermoor after being offered terms for the coming season.

There promises to be some classic derby fixtures in the Blue Square Bet North next season, with Bradford Park Avenue joining Guiseley and FC Halifax Town, but there will also be some long journeys.

The league has just published its constitution for the 2012-13 season and, for a north division, it stretches the boundaries.

Kettering and Darlington have resigned from the league set-up but Brackley Town and Oxford City will be coming in.

Brackley were Southern League Premier champions while Oxford were promoted from the same division via the play-offs.

Gloucester City and Bishop’s Stortford are still in, making it four arduous trips south in the campaign.

And another long journey remains following east-midlands outfit Hinckley United’s relegation reprieve.