THE FIRST FOOTBALL LEAGUE

In 1888, on the 8th September, the first "Football League Season" in history got underway. Previously, six months and six days earlier, the Aston Villa director, William MacGregor (below) 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".

Season	1888–89
Champions	Preston North End 1st English title
Matches played	132
Goals scored	586 (4.44 per match)
Top goalscorer	John Goodall (21 goals)
Biggest home win	Aston Villa 9–1 Notts County (29 September 1888)
Biggest away win	Notts County 0–7 Preston North End (3 November 1888)
Highest scoring	Blackburn Rovers 5–5 Accrington (15 September 1888) Aston Villa 9–1 Notts County (29 September 1888) Bolton Wanderers 7–3 Notts County (9 March 1889)
Longest winning run	6 matches Preston North End
Longest unbeaten run	22 matches Preston North End
Longest losing run	8 matches Derby County

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.