Fylde welcomes newly promoted Huddersfield to the Woodlands on Saturday to open the 2008/9 National League campaign (ko 15.00).

This will be the biggest game in the visitors' astonishingly long 139 year history which makes them one of the oldest in the world so Fylde will anticipate an extremely tough contest.

Promoted from North One following a play-off win against Luctonians back in April at their neat Lockwood Park ground, the visitors face their first ever season in the national leagues.

The rugby club is part of a mixed sporting club that embraces hockey, running, squash and bowling.

Interestingly, the Club claims to have founded mini-rugby in England in 1969.

After playing many years at Waterloo, it bought Lockwood Park in 1997 where they have four rugby pitches plus an all-weather pitch with parking for 300 cars.

The main floodlit pitch has a capacity of 1500 with seating for 500 and adjoins the clubhouse which is open every evening and all day on Saturdays and Sundays with full catering available.

Altogether, they field four senior teams plus Academy, Junior and Mini sections and they work closely with Huddersfield University RUFC and Leeds Carnegie.

Their successful promotion campaign last season was led by highly experienced Director of Rugby, coach and skipper Mark Sowerby, who joined the club when Wakefield folded.

He's assisted by another former Wakefield RU & RL favourite, backs coach Neil Summers and Yorkshire, Otley, Doncaster & Wakefield backrower Glen Wilson who has had to retire at 31 because of a persistent back problem.

Sowerby, too, has decided to call it a day on a distinguished playing career.

"That’s it for me as far as playing is concerned.

"Obviously I will never see the team short.

"If I’m needed in an emergency, I’ll turn out, but to all intents and purposes, I’m a coach.

"We are now going to consolidate our position with the big boys.

“I’ve certainly no intention in seeing us go the same way as teams like Beverley and West Park St Helens, who went up and came straight back down.”

They will be relying pretty much on the squad of players that won the club promotion last season. The most notable arrival is veteran former American international lock Luke Gross.

Gross has played in two World Cups as well as the English Premiership with Rotherham and Newcastle Falcons but won’t be available until October due to recouperation from shoulder surgery.

The 38-year old, 19st and 6ft 9ins, has most recently been with Doncaster and planned to retire at the end of last season.

But Sowerby has persuaded him to extend a long playing career which has also seen him play at Harlequins, Roma and Llanelli.

Departures from the playing squad include Tim Collins who has gone to Australia and Hamish Pratt to Ilkley RUFC.

Sowerby is backing Nick Sharpe to make a big success of succeeding him as Huddersfield's No8.

Sharpe came through the Huddersfield’s academy system but played for Rugby Lions while away at university.

He has played at lock and flanker in the past, and now has both the sized and mobility required to be a good No8.

Other important members of a hard working pack include a tough front row of props Anthony Springwell and Jim Howard and hooker James Davies, and free scoring flanker Mark Whitehead.

Among their backs, they have an experienced half-back pairing in scrum-half Damian Clayton and goal kicking fly-half Chris Johnson who was top scorer last season with 188 league points.

Johnson's brother, Matt, has just returned to the game following many years out and may join him in the backline.

Another pair of brothers, Lee and Ben Paxman may feature in the line-up together with tyro scrum-half Tom Ainsworth who moved to full-back recently following impressive displays in pre-season games against Beverley and Chester.

Huddersfield’s defence was the bedrock of their success last season, conceding just 255 points in their 22 North I League matches (an average of 11.5 per game) which helped them to 19 victories and their highest-ever placing in the club’s history.

Fylde will check on a number of lingering injuries picked up before or during the pre-season game against Tynedale last Saturday.

Skipper Roger Banks should have recovered from an ear infection and fellow lock Nick King from a sore neck. Mike Waywell suffered a foot problem and is expected to take his place at fullback.

It's likely that two players will make their home league squad debuts - Australian centre Dan Loader (formerly with Illawarra & Randwick), if he can clear up a visa issue in time, and Lancashire county flanker Dan Palmer, both of whom have played recently at a higher level for Waterloo.

Fylde's Director of Rugby Mark Nelson said: "For our first game we welcome Huddersfield.

"When I joined Fylde as a player in 1980 the first game was against the same opponents,it only seems like yesterday.

"They are to be congratulated on their promotion and will give us a very hard game this afternoon."