MARK Bower believes Guiseley may have to consider turning full-time after paying the price for their poor start to the National League season.

Bower was sacked on Sunday with the Lions bottom of the table without a point from the first five games.

The former Bradford City defender insisted he was proud of his record at Nethermoor, steering Guiseley to the highest level of the non-league game and then keeping them there last season.

That was achieved as one of the few part-time clubs in the division – something he thinks they may have to rectify to survive.

Bower said: “It’s really tough as a part-time team in a full-time league. As the club progress, and I’m sure they will do, they’ll maybe have to look at that.

“The Conference is like League Three now. I played most of my career at League One and League Two level and every week we’re up against teams I’ve faced in the Football League.

“You’ve got all the big clubs in there as well as smaller ones with serious financial backing like Eastleigh and Forest Green.

“We started the season away at Eastleigh and in the Conference it’s Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday. In the space of two weeks we played five games and we literally had only two training sessions.

“We’ve got a new team in and had only three hours to work with them on the training ground. So you’re up against it but that’s what we signed up for.”

Bower had been at the Guiseley helm since September 2013 and intends to take some time out to assess his next move. But it has not put him off management.

He added: “I’ve had dozens of messages with some people saying I should wait for the right job and others that I should get back in as soon as I can.

“But I’m part-time as well. I’ve got interests outside the game with my business and I’ve neglected my family a little bit, so I’m going to enjoy the extra bit of free time and use it well.

“I want to wait for the right opportunity to come around.

“When I first got the job, I didn’t have that burning desire to go for it – it fell into my lap in a way. But I have thoroughly enjoyed it and I’m happy with what I’ve left.

“I never thought two weeks into the season that I’d be in this situation but it does give me the chance to mentally rest. It might be a part-time job but it’s a full-time commitment.”

And Bower, who departed with assistant Danny Boshell, is confident that Guiseley have what it takes to defy the odds and launch another bid for safety this season.

“We’ve left the club with a good squad of players well capable of getting the results needed to survive,” he said. “I’m sure they will do that.

“When you lose five games in a row and the budget has been reduced in the summer, you are asking for it in some ways.

“But you look at the manner of defeats and all were by the odd goal except for one. We lost three 3-2 and each time to goals in the last ten minutes.

“You could have put a case for us having six or nine points now but football is about fine margins.

“It’s a results business. I’m responsible for selecting the team and the players are making mistakes.

“But I’m really proud of what we achieved here.

“We had so many failures in trying to get promoted so to manage to do that and then stay there, when bigger clubs than us didn’t, was very satisfying.”