GUISELEY has completed the re-signing of two of their young players for the coming season.

Academy graduate Will Thornton, who became a regular member of the first team squad last season, has signed a new contract with the club.

Thornton, 21, found himself with a big role to play last season following injuries to key defenders such as Scott Garner, Terry Kennedy, Louis Swain and Cliff Moyo.

Thornton joined the club’s Academy after representing the Wharfedale FA team which won the West Riding County FA Minor Cup.

He made excellent progress with the Academy and played football on loan with a number of clubs to gain experience, notably with Farsley Celtic.

The young prospect was named on the bench a number of times before making his National League debut for Guiseley as a substitute in 2016-17 at Boreham Wood.

Under the new management team of Russ O’Neill and Marcus Bignot, Thornton was involved in the first team squad from the outset of the 2018-19 season and went on to make 26 starts and eight sub appearances and won the club’s first ever Young Player of the Year award.

Thornton said:”Obviously I am delighted to stay with the club. I have been at Guiseley for a while now having come through the Academy and I love it.

“I want to establish myself in the team and get more games after breaking through into the first team last season. I am looking for us to do a lot better than last season.

“On a personal note I want to keep improving. I will always give 100 per cent for this club, I absolutely love it here and I want to continue learning and improving my performance.”

* Young winger Scott Smith has also signed a new contract with Guiseley after making a big impact in the first team games he played last season.

The 20 year-old is another Guiseley Academy product and he signed a first team contract in summer 2017 after impressing in pre-season training and warm-up games.

The Horsforth-based player joined the Academy Development Squad Under-16s after being released by Bradford City.

In the past season, he made 15 starts for the first team along with five sub appearances and scored some vital goals.

Smith is looking for more opportunities in the coming season and is hoping to stake a claim for a regular place in the side.

He said: “Hopefully in the coming season I will be injury free and get more game time. I got my chance earlier than I thought when Russ and Marcus gave me opportunities last season but all that has done is leave me wanting to play more and improve more.

“With the quality of players they brought in last season I did not think I would be involved very much, but I was very happy to be play the games I did and maybe, without the injuries, I would have had a better chance to stake a claim for a regular place.

“I am looking forward to the new season and hope to nail down a position of my own and score a few goals. Although I am happy to play anywhere I don’t really see myself as a winger, I like to play more central.”