Fylde's Woodlands Memorial Ground is to become the home of both codes of rugby on the Fylde after Blackpool Panthers made a permanent move there.

The Panthers have agreed a six year deal to play at the famous Ansdell ground after making a succesful short-term move to Fylde while Bloomfield Road was unavailable this summer.

The decision was announced at a press conference at the Woodlands prior to Fylde's National Three (North) game against Rugby Lions.

It brings to an end nearly two decades of wandering for the Panther in their various incarnations since the club's predecassor left the Borough Park ground in 1987.

Formerly Springfield Borough, Trafford Borough, Chorley Borough, Chorley Chieftans, Lancashire Lynx and Chorley Lynx, the Panthers have spent the past two seasons at Bloomfield Road, but performances on and off the pitch have not met expectations.

The club will also move its administration and commercial operations to the Woodlands.

Panthers chairman John Chadwick said: "We're delighted to have reached agreement to move to the Woodlands on a semi-permanent basis.

"Fylde is a real rugby club with a long and famous history.

"The set-up at the ground is first rate, especially the new clubhouse, and the surface of the main pitch is superb.

"We're looking for stability and a base from which we can establish the Panthers as a successful national league club operating from the Fylde Coast.

"The area has a long tradition of professional rugby league and we're determined to develop the game here further and progress in the national leagues.

"In that context, the Rugby Football League are also very enthusiastic about the move."

Fylde chairman Michael Brennand said: "This is great news for rugby enthusiasts, indeed sports followers more generally, in the Blackpool and Fylde district.

"When the Panthers played three matches here during the summer we showed how welcome their officials, players and supporters were - and those of the visiting clubs.

"And the Panthers won two of the three games!

"The arrangement suits both clubs. It benefits Fylde as it uses our Clubhouse and the rest of the infrastructure when there's no sporting action here.

"And it builds a joint venture which can demonstrate excellence on and off the pitch.

"The arrangement offers possibilities for generating extra revenue for both clubs, sharing costs and maybe even players in due course."