GUISELEY boss Mark Bower is happy for his side to be written off as relegation candidates ahead of Saturday’s National League opener at Welling.

Bookmakers rate the Lions’ prospects of staying up as slim, and have Bower’s boys with the likes of Welling, Altrincham, Borehamwood and Southport in their pre-season odds.

This weekend’s opponents Welling survived the drop by the skin of their teeth last season but Bower is quietly confident about Guiseley’s hopes.

Bower said: “If you look at the bookmakers and people who are writing about this league, they have got us and Welling down to finish in the bottom four.

“But it’s a fantastic opening game for us and with the long travel involved it feels like ‘welcome to the league’.

“We are coming up against a side with a lot of Conference experience, so I think it’s a great first fixture for us and the lads are looking forward to it.

“It’s a game we will be going down there to try and win. Welling will be looking at us thinking ‘they’re a side who finished fifth in the Conference north last season.’

“They will believe they can get off to a good start but hopefully we can get a positive result and we then follow it up with two home games, which gives us an opportunity to get some points on the board early on.

“That would calm everyone down because we have waited a long time for this. Once we get into it and see what it’s all about then we can see down and start to enjoy it.

“I’m looking forward to it and Saturday will be a proud moment for me and play at the highest level that Guiseley have ever played at.

“But we’re not here for the ride and must keep pushing on to ensure the club continues making progress.”

Four of the Lions’ opening six games are at Nethermoor, including Tuesday night's clash with Altrincham, and Bower, who guided the club into the top tier last season after four successive play-off defeats, takes heart from their opening sequence of fixtures.

Bower said: “If your fans can see you winning more often than not at home then that’s what brings them in.

“That can only breed success for the club and the opening run of games at home is a real opportunity for us to get points on the board.

“Maybe some of the bigger clubs will turn up at Guiseley and think ‘I’m not sure about this’.

“Hopefully we can use that to our advantage and I also think that going away to some of the bigger stages will suit us.

“I think we’ll surprise a few people on the road as well but ultimately it’s about getting points on the board home or away.”