Guiseley captain joins for a month
The Town are pleased to announce the loan signing of Guiseley captain Simon Ainge.
The 24-year-old has also captained England C and arrives at Kenilworth Road for a month with a fine reputation as a commanding, goalscoring centre-half.
Yorkshireman Ainge is a product of Bradford City’s youth system and went onto appear 11 times for the Bantams in League 2 – indeed he made his first start for the club against the Hatters in a 1-1 draw at Valley Parade in 2008.
However at the end of the 2008/09 campaign – during which he spent a successful loan spell with Cambridge United in the Blue Square Bet Premier – he was released but moved to cross-city rivals Bradford Park Avenue.
He wasn’t with Avenue for long though, and he jumped at the chance to sign for Guiseley in February 2010. He originally started out at right-back for the Lions before establishing himself at centre-back as the side pushed for promotion to non-league’s top flight.
His strength, aerial power and influential performances at the heart of the Guiseley back-line saw him handed the captaincy at the beginning of the 2010/11 campaign.
Since his arrival and Nethermoor Ainge has been an almost ever-present, and has come up with his fair share of important goals. He notched nine goals from central defence last season as Guiseley finished runners-up in the Blue Square Bet North.
His displays have caught the attention of several Football League clubs and also the eye of England C boss Paul Fairclough, who called him to the Three Lions squad in the summer for their clash with Russia.
Simon goes straight into the Town squad to face Southport on Saturday.
Reaction to follow.