SEEL Park will be home to two teams after Mossley AFC agreed a groundsharing deal with nearby Uppermill FC.
The Manchester League champions, who are looking to one day join the non-league football pyramid, will play first team games at the stadium from this forthcoming season.
As well as providing extra revenue for Mossley through the bar, the clubs will use the new arrangement as a learning experience.
And players the Lilywhites have an eye on but who are not quite at the level of Northern Premier League West Division and can be developed can turn out for Uppermill FC.
Mossley AFC chair Stephen Porter believes it can benefit all, as well as the Mossley Juniors club.
He said: “Primarily, this is about helping someone out, like we’ve been helped out in the past.
“Non-league football’s about helping your neighbours, so when we were approached, it was a no brainer. It’s about trying to help somebody to progress.
“Uppermill FC can’t go any further as their ground isn’t up to scratch.
“In the long-term, it gives our manager, David Fish, an option. Some of Uppermill’s players may be good enough to be tried out in our team and if we’ve got payers who’ve been out injured, it’s a good place for them to go.
“If they are short of match fitness, it would be much better if they’re getting games at Seel Park for Uppermill FC.
“And it creates a pathway, which we don’t really have. Ultimately, we want to get a women’s team moving again – a Mossley and Saddleworth women’s team would be good.
“We want to bring everything – Mossley AFC, Uppermill FC and Mossley Juniors – close together.
“At the moment, once players get to a certain age, they just drift off. This means a Mossley Juniors player could move on to Uppermill’s reserves or their open age team.
“We want to sit everyone down and see what we can do for each other. Between the four of us – Mossley Juniors, Mossley AFC first team, Uppermill reserves and Uppermill’s open age team, you’re going to get a lot of good people with a lot of good ideas on how we all help each other.
“We’re in this for the long-term. We don’t want this to be just for one season.
“I’m not going to lie, if they get half decent crowds – which I think they will – our bar will take a few quid.
“Uppermill FC will look after the pie hut and the sponsors’ lounge. It’s not being done for financial reasons, though. It’s being done to try and help the guys progress.”
Uppermill FC’s reserves, development team and under-18s games will still be at Churchill Playing Fields in Greenfield.
And their chair, Steve Southern, believes this arrangement is a boost for football on Mossley’s doorstep.
He said: “We’re trying to create a partnership between the two clubs.
“For our part, we get to use Seel Park for our playing facilities, but it also means we can learn from Mossley – how do they organise themselves? What’s their governance structure? How do they run? How do they finance themselves?
“That’s going to help us prepare for the future if we want to get to a higher level and also Mossley have said they’re very keen to put on training sessions for our teams and our coaches.
“They have at least four UEFA B level coaches and them making their time available will hopefully stimulate better level among our coaches.”
Similar arrangements exist elsewhere. In Bury, Radcliffe Borough partners with Tottington FC and Steve can see the benefits.
He added: “it should be huge. One of the things that attracted us to the Mossley guys is their philosophy for the football club is similar to ours – they see themselves as temporary custodians with a moral obligation to make sure it’s run properly.
“And to make sure you get as many local people – whether they be from Mossley or Saddleworth – playing the game at as high a level as possible.
“They share many of the values we feel we offer.”