Uppermill FC plays its first home match in the non-league pyramid at Mossley AFC's Seel Park, an Edward Case Cup preliminary round tie with Daisy Hill that marks the club's home debut at its new level.

The Saddleworth club began life in the North West Counties League by scoring inside the first minute of its debut at Ashville FC on Saturday, August 4. Three days later came a reminder of the step up, a 3-0 defeat at Ashton Athletic.

Chairman Simon Tait said the move into semi-professional football was the realisation of years of hard work by a small but growing number of local people dedicated to their community.

"We are very ambitious, but the last decade has presented some real challenges," he said. Mr Tait also paid tribute to Rob Leah for keeping things going at senior level when they were falling apart, and to Ian Evans, Matt Poulter and Michelle Simpson, whose efforts during Covid helped the club survive. "As we grow, we need to remember our very recent past and continue to learn," he said.

Uppermill now runs 35 boys, girls and men's teams, with about 500 players signed on.

Chief executive Steve Southern said the value of local clubs went beyond results. "We help create good young people, and good young people become good adults," he said. He added that without Uppermill FC and other volunteer clubs, thousands of young people would have to fill their own time, and not all of them might fill it positively.

Off the pitch, the club has secured away shirt sponsorship from the bands Inspiral Carpets and, for this season, China Crisis. It has also created the Uppermill FC Ambassadors, a group of more than 10 club figures who promote the club and support first team home games.

Ambassador Adam Wilson, who joined in the mid-1990s and has played and coached at the club, said: "Uppermill FC is now the place to be for football, not just in Saddleworth but right across Oldham. As an ambassador, my job is to spread the word far and wide that Little Uppermill are marching up the football pyramid."

Although first team matches are played at Mossley, the club stays active in Saddleworth through its Uppermill In The Community initiative, which has donated thousands of pounds of clothes, gifts and other support to local schools and to Our Community Wardrobe Oldham (OCWO). This season it will partner with the charity Maggie's, whose logo will feature on players' sleeves at the home match.

Mr Southern said the club appreciated its relationship with Mossley but hoped Saddleworth would one day have its own community football ground capable of supporting semi-professional football. "The ambition is there, we just need the support," he said.