Steve Kittrick sacked as Guiseley manager

By James Grayson (Twitter: @jamesAgrayson)

For leading Guiseley to unprecedented heights and chasing supporters, Steve Kittrick will be remembered at Nethermoor.

The axed Guiseley boss has enjoyed a successful six-year reign at the club. Since replacing Terry Dolan in December 2007 after leaving Ossett Town, a Northern Premier League title, a NPL Challenge Cup and two West Riding Cups count for something.

Kittrick had a difficult first 18 months at Guiseley and during the 2008-09 campaign, he was once three games away from the sack. Leading up to the ultimatum, Kittrick infamously chased a Lions fan during a 4-3 West Riding County Cup defeat to Ossett Town.
Only the signing of James Walshaw saved him as the forward led their charge to the play-offs which saw them bow out in the semi-finals.
Walshaw was a key part of the success that was to follow as the Lions then went onto win the NPL title in unforgettable fashion in April 2010.
Kittrick and Guiseley were then riding a crest of a wave as the Lions reached the 2011 Conference North play-offs final at AFC Telford United. Guiseley were ten minutes away from the Conference Premier and only two late Telford goals denied them.

That was the closest that Guiseley got to Conference Premier football. Two very consistent seasons followed, but the Lions could not catch runway leaders Hyde FC and then Chester FC last season.

The Lions finished second in both seasons - a record finish for the club on each occasion.

But, the play-offs were Guiseley’s downfall in both campaigns. Nuneaton were Guiseley’s conquerors in 2012 and then arch-rivals FC Halifax Town in May. The Halifax defeat laid bare the frictions between Kittrick and the Guiseley board and he admitted that he was fighting to save his job.

James Walshaw

After talks, he survived, but it proved to be a temporary stay of execution. The writing has been on the wall since a summer of poor recruitment. Kittrick’s fall-out with Walshaw led the striker to leave for Altrincham and combined with the departures of Kevin Holsgrove and Josh Wilson to Halifax, the trio have never been replaced.

Craig Hobson arrived from Stockport County and has scored once and been sent off once. His strike partner Phil Marsh has yet to score, while James Burgess and Adam Priestley have made the big step-up from Evo Stik Division One North football and haven’t made an impression.

In truth, Kittrick has been living on borrowed time since May and the calamitious opening 3-0 defeat to Solihull Moors at Nethermoor probably sealed his fate.

Just four days after the next defeat and he was gone – the board citing recent performances.

The vacancy will attract interest and Guiseley will probably receive a level of interest in the post that they have never received before. It is likely that former Football League managers will be emailing their CVs to the club.

Defender Mark Bower is in caretaker charge for Saturday's game with Boston United.