Academy manager Dave Currie acknowledges that his young Lions face the stiffest task they have probably ever faced when they travel to Bloomfield Road to take on Blackpool in the FA Youth Cup on Monday night.
Currie has carried out a spying mission on the young Tangerines, players hoping to follow in the footsteps of two of Blackpool’s most illustrious players – Sir Stanley Matthews and 1966 World Cup winner Alan Ball.
Last season the Guiseley Under-18s lost out in a penalty shoot-out after surprising Fleetwood Town with their efforts and it will take another Herculean effort to scratch the surface against Blackpool, who were FA Youth Cup semi-finalists last season before finally going out to Arsenal.
So a tough task for the Young Lions, made even more so by the loss of winger Tabish Hussain who was on cracking form before suffering a stress fracture meaning he will be out for two months.
Tab is just one of a number of young Academy players the first team management have thrust into their squad after involving them in pre-season training.
Blackpool will no doubt have noted the exploits of striker Jake Young who has so far notched 16 goals in just six league and cup games but Jake will have a tough task against Blackpool’s star defender Will Avon who has played in their first team.
With their FA Youth Cup involvement Guiseley have only played two league games so far in the National League U-19 Alliance Division I winning both by wide margins – Harrogate Town 12-0 and Farsley Celtic 6-0.
The FA Youth Cup has seen them beat Rossington Main by a thumping 11-0, Harrogate Town 5-1 and Ossett United by their biggest margin of the season 13-0.
Goals have not just come from Young and Hussain however as nine other players have hit the target.
Currie and his coaches will as ever prepare their young charges well but he said: “This will be a tough task for Guiseley so it will be great to see as much support as possible over on the West Coast for this encounter.”
Kick-off at Bloomfield Road is at 7:45pm with admission just £3 for adults and £1 for everyone else.
The Main Stand will be open for the fixture with supporters asked to enter via turnstile 7.
