JOINT manager Marcus Bignot insists Guiseley should get excited at the prospect of drawing a Football League club in the first round of the Emirates FA Cup, despite not reaching that stage in the competition yet.

The Lions are the favourites as they travel to Step Three side FC United of Manchester in the final preliminary on Saturday.

The Vanarama National League North side also have a great recent history in the tournament and are aiming to qualifying for the third time in four years.

Usually gaffers refuse to look beyond the next game, but not Bignot, he is allowing his players to dream of potential television exposure and starring at some of the bigger grounds in the country.

He said: "It will be two years out of three (since Bignot and Russ O'Neill arrived) if we get in the first round and that is good going.

"In year one (2018/19), we drew Cambridge in one of the highlighted games. We got money from the TV and it was probably one of the best games in the round.

"You have got to look beyond because it is a fairytale cup. The league is one game at a time but the FA Cup we have to dream about that first round.

"We will be both thinking if we can get through this then we can pull a big Football League club out of the hat.

"It is a opportunity for a player to make a name for himself. Why not think a little bit ahead? It is a motivation.

"You start now getting a name for yourself as a FA Cup team who gets to those big rounds. We are desperate to get through."

There is the added factor of this being the first game of the season which Guiseley will play in front of spectators.

Unfortunately, for them, Broadhurst Park will only be able to facilitate 600 home supporters due to Football Association ruling.

Bignot added: "It will be the first time that we have played in front of a crowd. While we are in this climate, we have to adapt and learn. I am exciting to see how we are going to go about that.

"The ingredients make for a real entertaining football game. They are a good footballing team.

"I have fond memories of them when we won the league with Solihull Moors. We did a lap of honour and their fans actually urged us to do it so I have a soft spot for them."

In the league, Guiseley recently lost out to Hereford. Bignot claims his side were just missing that killer instinct in front of goal.

He said: "It was a really good away day performance for them.

"They got the rub of the green on a penalty decision which could have gone either way.

"They have got a lot of senior players who managed the game well in terms of the scoreline and the time. The little dark arts of the game they did well too.

"We didn’t create enough chances to win the game but certainly did enough not to lose it.

"That was the overriding feeling from players, staff and fans who saw it on YouTube.

"We missed that final touch. We were nearly there but it wasn’t to be."