EXCITEMENT is bubbling at Guiseley as the club eagerly anticipates tonight's second round FA Cup tie at home to Joey Barton's Fleetwood Town.

Fleetwood are currently in League One, and Guiseley co-manager Russ O'Neill says that the club have Championship players in their ranks.

"It'll be a tough game against tough opposition," said O'Neill. "It's a step up and a big ask for us.

"We're massively looking forward to the game, although preparation has not been ideal because of two postponed matches this week," he said.

"It's unfortunate because some of the lads needed minutes, but we'll have a couple of training sessions this week. So it is what it is."

With Guiseley looking forward to playing an FA Cup tie which will be live on BT Sport, O'Neill said: "It will be difficult to keep the lads focused, but you've got to admit it's hard not to think about it."

With the game being played on tonight, the draw for the third round will already have been completed, which O'Neill said will "add a bit of extra spice for both teams".

"The third round of the FA Cup is a massive game," said O'Neill. "We can't say we want it more than them because when it gets to this stage, everybody wants to play a Premier League team."

Faced with the prospect of winning and getting drawn against one of the big Manchester teams, O'Neill said: "We don't want Pep Guardiola anywhere near us because he's a magician. We'll take Man United away!"

However, Guiseley will get the chance to lock horns with former Manchester City player Barton, who also had stints at Newcastle United and QPR.

"He's had a great playing career, but management is a completely different kettle of fish," said O'Neill.

Guiseley press officer Rachel O'Connor also said that Barton knows a bit about Guiseley as his cousin, Josh Wilson, played as striker for the Lions about four years ago.

"He does know of our existence," said O'Connor of Barton. "He often Tweeted our results and as you know he has a massive Twitter following."

She said that Monday's game will be one of the biggest in the club's history, and only their second live on television after a league game against Lincoln City was shown on BT Sport about three years ago.

Guiseley have played two FA Vase finals at Wembley in successive seasons, 1991 and 1992, and this year is the second season in a row that they have played in the second round of the FA Cup after they got knocked out by Mansfield last year following a win at Accrington Stanley in the first round.

"We've been in the first round proper eight times, so I think we've served our apprenticeship there," said O'Connor, who added that there was a lot excitement from and a great atmosphere after the club's 4-3 win over Cambridge United in the last round.

"The lads were singing 'Feed Em to the Lions' in the dressing room after the game," she said. "Every good FA Cup run has a good FA Cup song. If we win, maybe it will be number one at Christmas!"

Going into Monday's game, other than captain Scott Garner, who has a long-term injury, O'Neill said Guiseley will have a "clean bill of health".

"Will Hatfield had to go off at half-time last Saturday, but he could have played in Tuesday night's FA Trophy replay."

* The Buildbase FA Trophy replay with Lancaster City, which was postponed on Tuesday because of inclement weather, will now be played on Tuesday, December 11, at Nethermoor. Kick-off will be at 7:45pm.

The first tie ended 2-2 with a last-minute equaliser from Will Thornton to force a replay but heavy rain prevented play.

Just four days later, on Saturday, December 15, the winners of the replay will host Blyth Spartans in the first round.