HISTORIC FOOTBALL LEAGUE AND NEXT THE PREMIER LEAGUE

There has been some celebration last weekend, over the history of the Football League.

Note: Blackburn Rovers and Notts County made their league debut the next Saturday.

Believe it or not, there has always been some debate over the first ever game played in the Football League after its formation in the 1880s. The first official Football League season began on the 8th of September 1888 when ten of the twelve teams of the newly founded division went against each other. Unlike in the modern game, however, there was no particular structure to when times matches kicked off, with 3pm being a guide rather than a strict time!!!

A football historian named Mark Metcalf and Robert Boyling, who worked in the British Library, investigating who was responsible for scoring the first ever goal in Football League history, discovered that the matches played on the 8th of September, had accidentally staggered kick-offs. This was largely due to the teams waiting until their supporters had arrived at the ground before starting the games.

The Football League now consists of 69 professional association football clubs in England and 3 in Wales. It runs the oldest professional football league competition in the world. 

The Football League was founded in 1888 by Aston Villa, director William McGregor originally with 12 member clubs. By 1950 the League had 92 clubs. Financial considerations led to a major shake-up in 1992, when in a step to maximise their revenue the leading members of the Football League broke away to form their own competition, the FA Premier League, which was renamed the Premier League in 2007. The Football League therefore no longer includes the top 20 clubs who belong to this group, although promotion and relegation between the Football League and the Premier League continues. In total, 136 teams have played in the Football League up to 2013 (including those in the Premier League, since clubs must pass through the Football League before reaching the former).

Sat 8 September 1888: The first day of competition.

Ten of the twelve teams took part in the first ever round of "Championship" fixtures on Saturday, 8 September 1888 and although no league table was published in any of the newspapers of the time West Bromwich Albion would have been the very first table toppers. By modern-day calculations, Derby County would have been the first ever table toppers because of their superior goal difference which was +3 after the first game. Albion won 2–0 at Stoke in front of 4,500 spectators and would have headed Preston North End, Derby County and Everton by virtue of an infinite goal average as they kept a clean sheet. 

Goal Average was the number of goals scored divided by the number of goals conceded. Goal Average was used to separate teams who were tied on points at that time. (you know this has changed). 

Preston defeated Burnley 5–2, Derby were 6–3 winners at Bolton and Everton secured the points in a 2–1 victory over Accrington. Aston Villa defender Gershom Cox was thought to have earned the distinction of scoring the first ever league goal with an unfortunate own goal in a 1–1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fred Dewhurst opening the scoring minutes later at Preston with the first intentional goal. 

However the post-match reports of relative kick-off times show most games were delayed allowing for crowds to assemble. A goal by England and Bolton winger Kenny Davenport, 2 minutes into the match against Derby County was scored comfortably before any other and is now regarded as the first ever football league goal. Neither Blackburn Rovers or Notts County played on the opening weekend.

At 15th September (Cricket and Football Field)

Preston North End took over from West Bromwich Albion at the top of the table in their second game on Saturday 15 September 1888 when they won 4–0 at Wolverhampton Wanderers with Archie Goodall, scoring on his Preston debut. Preston, The Invincibles, were the first Champions that season.

Albion also won 2–1 at Derby County but the victory gave them an inferior goal average while Everton were the only other club to secure maximum points from their opening two games. 

Both Blackburn Rovers and Notts County made their respective Football League debuts. Rovers were held 5–5 by Accrington while Notts County lost 1–2 at Everton.

The 1992–93 FA Premier League was the inaugural season, of the top division of English League.The season began on 15 August 1992 and ended on 11 May 1993. The league was made up of the 22 clubs that broke away from The Football League at the end of the 1991-2 season. The new league was backed up by a five-year, £305 million deal with SKY to televise Premier League matches. In concept, the Premier League was identical to the old First Division of the Football League, which was now reduced to three divisions.