Midfielder Jack Emmett is very happy to have signed a new contract with Guiseley AFC as he continues to prove himself despite a continued battle with the debilitating illness Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, writes Rachel O’Connor.
Emmett, 32, joined Guiseley AFC in August 2024 after a spell on trial following his return to football having had a short stint at Knaresborough Town at the end of the 2023-24 season.
He had been enjoying a successful spell with his home club Harrogate Town with promotion to the EFL Division Two in 2020-21 but as the season progressed he started to struggle and in January 2021 he left the game.
In his break from football he studied at both Loughborough University, where he gained First Class Honours, and then at the University of Nottingham, where he did his Masters in psychology.
Emmett ended his six-and-a-half-year stay at Harrogate Town when he left Wetherby Road in January 2021 to concentrate on recovering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. He had played 229 matches for the Sulphurites and helped them to two promotions. After returning from university and whilst working as an accountant Emmett had the honour of scoring to help give Town their first-ever win in the National League, against Boston. This was a game in which he and his current Guiseley teammate Jordan Thewlis played on the wings for Harrogate.
The player also had the joy of winning the National League play-off final at Wembley against Notts County in 2020 winning promotion to the Football League with his home town team. He also played in the National League North Play-Off final against Brackley in 2018 when a 3-0 victory took them to the National League.
Emmett has now racked up 77 Lions appearances and scored seven goals after pulling on a Lions shirt 37 times in the 2025/26 campaign.
Since manager Ian Richards’ arrival in November the central midfielder has only missed three games and he started all but two matches in that time with his determination and dedication to getting somewhere near his earlier form to the fore.
He has continued to show why he played in League 2 just a few years ago and is a popular figure with the squad and supporters.
Speaking openly of his illness Emmett said: “Chronic Fatigue has been very difficult to work with and has restricted me in being able to play and train. It has been and still is a very long road. I did not expect it to take it as long as it has to get back to some sort of fitness. It is not like a football injury where you know you will be out say three of six months.”
He added: “I do not worry about being the same player again, I just feel a different athlete. I used to ask myself if I could instinctively do the things I used to, I have had to try very hard to manage that load on my body and not push myself too far. It is about achieving a balance.
“It is strange coming back as I am not the same player I was. I have had to adapt my game but in my head I am still the same player and that is what I am striving towards.”
It is credit to the character that Emmett is that he is making progress and is clocking up more and more minutes.
Of signing for another season at Guiseley Emmett said: “I really enjoy playing at Guiseley and I liked playing under Mark Bower and Danny Boshell but since Ian Richards and his management team came in it has been great. Ian is very switched on and creates a good atmosphere in the dressing room and that is a key thing.
“It is nice that they have come in and although we did not get the results or league position we wanted their style is going to evolve in the coming season as they bring in some of their own type of players.”
He added: “We can see that in the players they have recruited that they will stamp their own style on things in the new season and I am very excited for that. I was very happy to sign, I was never tempted to look elsewhere. I trust Ian to bring in players who fit his identity and he will put his stamp on the team. I am very excited for this, working with a new group on fast forward play with structure and a great work ethic. I have high hopes for the coming season,”
Emmett had praise for the volunteers and supporters around the club saying: “Everyone around the club is great, it is a very friendly club and all the volunteers make it a very friendly place to be, very homely and I feel that I can relax there and enjoy my game. It takes that pressure away when people are so supportive of you. At some places you feel that pressure from fans but with people here that is not the case. Here support comes first rather than criticism.
