Celtic's dream rise from the Uni-Bond League First Division to the Conference in just four seasons was brought to a shuddering halt last week as a 2-0 home defeat to Forest Green Rovers was followed by a 4-1 reverse at York City on Tuesday night which condemned them to a bottom-four finish in the Blue Square Premier.

* Click here for a match report and post match reaction from Farsley Celtic's game against Grays Athletic.

Firbank hasn't given up hope of an 11th-hour reprieve – Altrincham, twice, Forest Green, Northwich Victoria, Farnborough Town and Leigh RMI have all found back-door escape routes in the last four seasons – but if the worst is confirmed the message is: "We'll be back."

* Click here for Farsley Celtic Clockwatch.

After dining at non-league football's top table for the past nine months, Farsley have developed a taste for superior fare and Firbank wants more of it.

The chairman said: "We're not giving up hope. We're waiting to see what occurs over the next week or so because there are always twists and turns in this league at the end of the season.

"But if we do go down we will go into Conference North, regroup and come back up again.

"Our aim has always been to play League football at Throstle Nest and that hasn't changed.

"This is a setback, but it's not the end of the ride. If I thought that my resignation would be on the table by now.

"We are not quitters at Farsley Celtic – we have proved that before when we had the UniBondLeague title taken off us in unusual circumstances.

"We came back and did even better the following season."

"And we've been there now, we know what it takes to compete in the Conference, we like what we have seen andwewant more of it.

"There is a lot to be said for playing at big stadiums, in front of big crowds and against big teams. It's addictive – as addictive as charging through the leagues."

John Deacey looks set to be given first crack at getting Farsley on the up again, with Firbank confirming the board are fully behind the manager.

Deacey was assistant to Lee Sinnott throughout the fairytale ride which started in 2004 with promotion to the UniBond League topflight.

The Premier Division title followed in 2005, only for Farsley to be stripped of the silverware 48 hours later when now defunct Spennymoor United's incomplete record – they had only played 33 of their 42 matches – was reinstated into the final league table in a move which handed Hyde United the silverware.

The Celts bounced back to win promotion via the play-offs the following season and took the same route in their inaugural season in Conference North, beating Hinckley 4-3 in the final to reach the Conference for the first time in their history.

Staying up was always going to be an achievement that topped the lot, and Farsley looked set to pull it off despite seeing Sinnott head-hunted by Coca-Cola League One outfit Port Vale in November.

Deacey steadied the ship at the turn of the year and back-to-back victories over Weymouth and then Torquay on April 5 put Celtic in sight of the light at the end of the survival
tunnel.

But a spate of late injuries – and the return of on-loan midfielder Craig Bentham to parent club Bradford City – proved pivotal as they
lost their next five games.

Firbank said: "John Deacey, as far as I am concerned, has done a great job. He's learnt a lot, we've learnt a lot and the board's backing
of him is universal at this point in time.

"Neil Parsley (assistant) has also done very well in helping steady the ship.

"Without the injuries to Mark Jackson and Georges Santos I don't think we would be in this situation, but with the squad John and Neil had available and with the options they had it was always going to be difficult.

"We have had a season we have not been used to for the past five years, though I wouldn't say it has been unenjoyable, andwehave gone
backwards to a certain extent.

"But having said that we have also developed a lot by being in the Conference, from a crowd point of view, in terms of the supporters club which is growing by the week, and
the profile of the club which has been raised massively.

"As we have gone along from the UniBond League we have passed a lot of clubs who used to be league clubs or used to be Conference clubs and I suppose we will be one of them now.

"We will be seen as a scalp in Conference North next season, everyone will want to beat us.And because we have come downwewill be expected
to do well – but there is no reason why we shouldn't.

"We're looking forward to having a crack at bouncing straight back."