GUISELEY AFC have welcomed young Barrow goalkeeper Scott Moloney, 22, back to Nethermoor to be part of a goalkeeping group that includes new signing Kyle Trenerry and Guiseley Academy graduate Hagie Damba.

The trio will come under the wing of new goalkeeping coach Karl Lenaghan, who was last at Guiseley in 2011 as part of Neil Parsley’s backroom staff.

Lenaghan, who served 25 years as a police officer after kicking off his football career with Bradford City, has experience at all levels of football and has plenty to offer his young charges.

For Moloney it is also a return to Nethermoor as he initially landed on loan from Barrow at the back end of last season as back up to the excellent Mansfield Town loanee Owen Mason.

Speaking of the goalkeeping situation in his squad, Guiseley manager Danny Ellis said: “I think a goalkeeping coach has a massively important role to play, especially if you have young ‘keepers and you get loan ‘keepers in. It is a more professional set up that they are coming in to and their clubs will feel happier sending them to you if there is someone to specifically look after their game.

He added: “There will be competition for places in the squad and we now have three good ‘keepers battling for the No 1 spot and they will have a vastly experienced specialist coach looking after them and preparing them for games.”

Although Moloney is a player with League Two club Barrow, his family home is in Halifax but while training with Barrow he lives in Manchester, where they train, much as assistant manager Danny Forrest did when he was a Barrow player.

Lenaghan and Ellis go way back and Ellis said of his ‘keeper coach: “Karl’s pedigree is phenomenal. He has been a close and loyal friend and we are building a really tight back room staff here at Guiseley. I trust him and the young ‘keepers we have will only get better in the environment we are creating.

“Kyle was first to sign up and he is determined to make his mark while I have high hopes for Hagie, who has now left our Academy, and Scott, who is here on loan initially until January 2nd, will be equally determined to make the shirt his. As a former Bury Under-18 player he will be hoping for some minutes against them on Saturday, hopefully having recovered from a bout of food poisoning. I believe they will all push each other on.”

Moloney started life in football as an outfield player at Stalybridge Celtic and went for trials at Wrexham aged 11. Midway through the trial he said that he wanted to change to being a goalkeeper and he completed the trial in that role. Wrexham were interested in signing him but due to his age they were unable to do so as he lived outside the 30 mile limit.

He returned home and played as a goalkeeper with local side 3D Dynamoes before signing up with Huddersfield Town at the age of 12, remaining there until he was 16. At that point he signed a two year scholarship with Hartlepool, leaving after one year to sign as a pro with Bury where he earned a place on the first team bench at 17 and finished up with a League Two promotion medal.

Moloney returned to Huddersfield for six months before signing for Barrow, where he is now in his third season. He has two ‘keepers in the pecking order before him in Paul Farman and player/coach Josh Lillis.

Discussing return to Guiseley Moloney said: “I came to Guiseley at the back end of last season and was desperate to help them in the fight against relegation but I did not get to play a part. I am hoping to challenge for a first team place this time as I would like to help get them back up into National League North. I want to play a real part.”

As for Lenaghan, he figured as a goalkeeper with Bradford City, Ossett Town and Bradford Park Avenue. He recalled his days in the 1970s as a youngster at Bradford City along with Cec Podd. A time that was a big learning curve for him as he had to make the change from being a Wakefield schoolboy and living at home to going into digs with Podd’s mother in Bradford.

He recalled: “The Podd family really took me under their wing and I was well looked after.”

Lenaghan had strong links with former Guiseley assistant manager Trevor Storton and followed him to be a part of the staff at a number of clubs including North Ferriby and Guiseley. He then joined FC Halifax Town and in 2016 gained a winners’ medal with them as a coach at Wembley after they defeated Grimsby Town.

He left them to work for Stockport County from 2016 to 2020 and last season Lenaghan helped out friends at Yorkshire Amateur FC. He was delighted to get a call from Danny Ellis at a stage when he was mulling over taking the Guiseley job. His response when Ellis asked him if he would join him as goalkeeping coach was a resounding yes.

The veteran ‘keeper said; “You never say never in football and I have always considered Guiseley a great club. I was interested for sure and after taking part in the early training sessions it is evident that we have a good strong bunch of players with lots of experience coupled with plenty of young lads with pace. They are a good set of lads and I am really looking forward to being involved in coaching them.

“I am also looking forward to the opening friendly this Saturday against Bury. They are a good club and are making their way back up the pyramid. They have a big following and are re-building well and looking to do well.”

Lenaghan added: “We are ready and we have a lot of experience in our staff through the two Dannys, first team coach Martin Foster and myself. The players will be able to draw on that experience. The energy at training has been fantastic.”

After giving up his police work Lenaghan took on being an extra in television programmes such as Peaky Blinders, Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Victoria. He also played the role of a football coach to Christiano Ronaldo in a Nike advert for the 2016 Euros.

An all-round sportsman Lenaghan has also enjoyed playing cricket for his local club Horbury Bridge and has turned out for them in the current season.