SEPTEMBER 8th FIRST DAY OF THE F.L.

In 1888, on this VERY DAY, 9th September, the first "Football League Season" in history got underway. Previously, six months and six days earlier, the Aston Villa director, William MacGregor mooted the idea of a Football League and eventually he saw his dream come true.

The results that day were: Bolton 3-6 Derby; Everton 2-1 Accrington; Preston 5-2 Burnley; Stoke 0-2 West Bromich Albion; Wolverhampton 1-1 Aston Villa. Geographically the clubs were quite closely located. The first goal on this new League  season, was scored after 30 minutes, by Aston Villa defender Gershom Cox, who put the ball through his own net! Not quite what Mr MacGregor had envisaged! Wolves and Villa had kicked off at 3pm.

At Preston, Fred Dewhurst scored after only 2 minutes but this match had kicked off at 3.45pm, so one type of record was set, but not quite as "historic as Cox's!"

Two "founding" clubs, did not host a kick off on this day, but played a week later, with Blackburn playing out a 5-5 draw at home to Accrington and on the same day, Notts County lost at Everton 2-1. Points with goal average left West Bromwich top of the "table".  However, Preston overhauled West Brom after the seond matches and never gave up their place, ending their season as "The Invincibles".

Stoke finished bottom but with only one division, The Potters did not have to worry about relegation! Notts County and Accrington lost their top division status four seasons later under the new "two-division" system, once Division Two was established. In 1891-2 the division extended to 14 clubs and a season later to 16 clubs.

From 1888-9 season Preston NE did not appear outside the top two league places for the first 5 seasons. Clubs that appeared in the top two places from 1888-9 through to 1896-7 included: Aston Villa 4 times, Everton were there at the top in 1890-1 and runners up twice. Sunderland were top, three times and runners up, twice. Derby was the odd one out, being runners-up in 1895-6 to Villa.