Sheffield Wednesday: True stance revealed on club's mooted approach for hotly-rated Owls coach and former Huddersfield Town favourite

National League North outfit Guiseley AFC, who as it stands are facing likely relegation to the Northern Premier League, parted company with their management team of Russ O’Neill, Marcus Bignot and Paul Clayton on Monday.

Their former manager Steve Kittrick has taken the role on until the end of the season and faces a difficult task to make up the five-point gap with seven matches remaining.

There was no confirmation on the long-term role in a club statement, prompting speculation in West Yorkshire that the Lions could be tempted to sound-out their former captain Holdsworth, a name that fleetingly linked with a return to Nethermoor Park in recent times.

Holdsworth has enjoyed huge success with Wednesday’s under-18 side and is a club legend at Guiseley having enjoyed a hugely successful four-year stint with the club at the back end of his playing career.

But The Star understands that while the 38-year-old would represent a hugely attractive proposition for the club, no contact has been made on the basis it simply would not be seen as a viable move for either club or individual as things stand, particularly given Guiseley’s lowly placing in the league pyramid.

Holdsworth has earned widespread plaudits for his handling of the under-18s at Middlewood Road and his role in the development of a number of hotly-rated Owls youngsters.

He took charge of Wednesday’s first team in January last year in the midst of a Covid-19 outbreak at the club, achieving a win over Exeter City in the FA Cup.

And while he harbours an interest in going into management in the future, he told The Star after that match that he was a way off making that jump.

“It’s something that you want to do,” he said. “Listen, I’ve been in football a long time, from a player to a coach that’s what I’ve always wanted to do.

“I’d never say never, being a first team manager. But I’m a million miles off it, I’m way off it at this moment in time, but it’s somewhere I want to get to at some point.”