A RIGHT HYDEING

On the 15th October 1887, Preston North End, the strongest team of the period, were on their way to their first FA Cup Final when they met Hyde United at Deepdale in the first round.

Jimmy Ross, known as the Little Demon from Edinburgh, was to taunt his opposition by scoring 8 goals in Preston's recorded breaking 26-0 victory in the First Round against Hyde United.

In 8 cup ties on the way to the 1888 Oval Cup Final, Preston scored 56 goals and Ross netted 20, 8 in the Hyde thumping. In the second round Preston beat Bolton 9-1 and Everton 6-1 in a game announced "void" due to some dodgy doings. They went to the 3rd Round and beat Halliwell 4-0, got a BYE in R4, then took a day at Southport to train on the healthy beach, before beating Aston Villa 3-1 away.

Preston then took on and won at Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 and the Crewe in the semi-final 4-0.
Preston over estimated their opponents when they asked to have a photograph with the cup after their semi-final win.
Their opponents at The Oval in the final on March 24th were West Bromwich Albion who had beaten the Old Carthusians in the 6th Round. (Other old boys' sides playing in this cup campaign included the Old Etonians, Wykehamists (Winchester College), Harrovians, Foresters, Lancing Old Boys and the Westminsters.)
PNE took on WBA and lost 2-1!

During Ross' time at Preston North End, his first professional club, he played 130 times and scored 85 goals. This was a very satisfactory return for the club that won the newly formed Football League (the only division in 1888-9) having played 22 matches and winning 18 with 4 draws. Preston also got to the Cup Final again without conceding a goal. Beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 at The Oval, they did the Double and became known as The Invincibles. 149 teams started the FA Cup First Qualifying Round.

Ross during his time was affected by the imposition of a maximum wage of £4 a week, which created an issue, so he and others formed the Association of Professional Footballers, to make their point.

They also won the following season's First Division title by a closer margin with Everton 2 points behind them and were runners up for the next three seasons, behind Everton and Sunderland twice.

I wish I knew which one is Jimmy Ross! Have a guess; Scottish, scorer, small?