The Football League 1888–89
Encyclopedia
The 1888–1889 Football League Championship was the first edition of the Football League
, which ran from the autumn of 1888 until the spring of 1889. It was also the first football league anywhere in the world.
The twelve original members were Accrington
, Aston Villa
, Blackburn Rovers
, Bolton Wanderers
, Burnley
, Derby County
, Everton
, Notts County
, Preston North End
, Stoke
, West Bromwich Albion
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
who agreed to play a twenty-two game format whereby each team would host each of their eleven rivals once with two points awarded for a win and one point awarded for a drawn game. The team with most points at the completion of the season would be declared Champions of England while the team with the fewest points would be forced to seek re-election to the league for the following season.
Preston North End completed their twenty-two game programme without defeat and were declared the inaugural champions while Stoke finished with the fewest points, although their application for re-election proved successful.
Preston North End also won the FA Cup
in 1889 becoming the first team to complete the English League and Cup double.
The table below is reproduced here in the exact form that it can be found at the The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.
Note: Beginning with the season 1894–95, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded), or more properly put, goal ratio. In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.
Since the goal average was used for this purpose for such a long time, it is presented in the tables below even for the seasons prior to 1894–95, and since the goal difference is a more informative piece of information for a modern reader than the goal average, the goal difference is added in this presentation after the goal average.
During the first five seasons of the league, that is until the season 1893–94 re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league.
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
Preston North End's
earned the distinction of scoring the first ever league goal. Unfortunately the Aston Villa defender put through his own goal in a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Minutes later Fred Dewhurst
opened the scoring at Preston with the first intentional goal.
scoring on his Preston debut. 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.
marked his Preston debut with a goal in their 7-0 victory over Stoke to take their perfect start to five games. Their lead at the top was doubled to two points when Aston Villa suffered their first defeat of the season 0-2 at Everton. West Bromwich Albion moved up to second after beating Derby County 5-0 while Notts County secured their first ever point at the fourth attempt in a 3-3 draw with Blackburn Rovers yet remained at the foot of the table.
scoring a hat-trick. Alex McKinnon earned the distinction of being the first player to score a league hat-trick for Everton in their 6-2 victory over Derby County who fell to the bottom of the league as a result of a sensational 6-1 victory for Notts County over Burnley. Blackburn Rovers also enjoyed a comprehensive 5-2 victory over Stoke to climb to sixth in the table.
and John Goodall both scored hat-tricks in a 7-0 victory at Notts County. This was Goodall’s second hat-trick in consecutive games and took Preston three points clear of Aston Villa who were held 1-1 at Stoke. Blackburn Rovers also scored seven goals away from home at Burnley, who did manage a goal in reply.
made his Preston debut and scored in their 5-0 victory
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, which ran from the autumn of 1888 until the spring of 1889. It was also the first football league anywhere in the world.
The twelve original members were Accrington
Accrington F.C.
Accrington Football Club were an English football club from Accrington, Lancashire, who were one of the founder members of The Football League. Accrington F.C. was formed following a meeting at a local public house in 1876...
, Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
, Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
, Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, Stoke
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
and Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
who agreed to play a twenty-two game format whereby each team would host each of their eleven rivals once with two points awarded for a win and one point awarded for a drawn game. The team with most points at the completion of the season would be declared Champions of England while the team with the fewest points would be forced to seek re-election to the league for the following season.
Preston North End completed their twenty-two game programme without defeat and were declared the inaugural champions while Stoke finished with the fewest points, although their application for re-election proved successful.
Preston North End also won the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in 1889 becoming the first team to complete the English League and Cup double.
Final league table
At the beginning of the season it was decided that whichever team won the most games would be champions. A few weeks in this was deemed unfair as it made drawing no better than losing, so the League decided to award points: 2 for a win, 1 for a draw. In the end, this rule change made little difference; had it stayed in the "most wins" format, the only change would have been the move of Accrington to 10th and the elevation by one place of Everton, Burnley and Derby County.The table below is reproduced here in the exact form that it can be found at the The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.
Note: Beginning with the season 1894–95, clubs finishing level on points were separated according to goal average (goals scored divided by goals conceded), or more properly put, goal ratio. In case one or more teams had the same goal difference, this system favoured those teams who had scored fewer goals. The goal average system was eventually scrapped beginning with the 1976–77 season.
Since the goal average was used for this purpose for such a long time, it is presented in the tables below even for the seasons prior to 1894–95, and since the goal difference is a more informative piece of information for a modern reader than the goal average, the goal difference is added in this presentation after the goal average.
During the first five seasons of the league, that is until the season 1893–94 re-election process concerned the clubs which finished in the bottom four of the league.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | F | A | GA | GD | Pts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
22 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 8 | 74 | 15 | 4.933 | + 59 | 40 | ||||
| 2 | Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... |
22 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 27 | 61 | 43 | 1.419 | + 18 | 29 | ||||
| 3 | Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... |
22 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 23 | 50 | 37 | 1.351 | + 13 | 28 | ||||
| 4 | Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
22 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 44 | 22 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 23 | 66 | 45 | 1.467 | + 21 | 26 | ||||
| 5 | Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers F.C. Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001.... |
22 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 35 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 28 | 29 | 63 | 59 | 1.068 | + 4 | 22 | ||||
| 6 | West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion F.C. West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands... |
22 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 40 | 46 | 0.870 | – 6 | 22 | ||||
| 7 | Accrington Accrington F.C. Accrington Football Club were an English football club from Accrington, Lancashire, who were one of the founder members of The Football League. Accrington F.C. was formed following a meeting at a local public house in 1876... |
22 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 22 | 31 | 48 | 48 | 1.000 | ± 0 | 20 | ||||
| 8 | Everton Everton F.C. Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football... |
22 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 29 | 35 | 46 | 0.761 | – 11 | 20 | ||||
| 9 | Burnley Burnley F.C. Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888... |
22 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 21 | 43 | 42 | 62 | 0.677 | – 20 | 17 | ||||
| 10 | Derby County Derby County F.C. Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English... |
22 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 19 | 41 | 41 | 61 | 0.672 | – 20 | 16 | ||||
| 11 | Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... |
22 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 41 | 40 | 73 | 0.548 | – 33 | 12 | ||||
| 12 | Stoke Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts... |
22 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 33 | 26 | 51 | 0.510 | – 25 | 12 | ||||
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against;
GA = Goal average; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points
| Key | |
|---|---|
| League Champions | |
| FA Cup Winners (see Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... ) |
|
| Re-elected | |
| Failed re-election (none) |
Results
Match results are drawn from The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation website and Rothmans.Top scorers
| Rank | Scorer | Club | Goals | Matches played | Goals per match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  John GoodallJohn Goodall John Goodall was a footballer who rose to fame as a centre-forward for England and for Preston North End at the time of the development of the Football League, and also became Watford's first manager in 1903... |
Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
21 | 21 | 1.00 |
| 2 |  James D. RossJimmy Ross James D. “Jimmy” Ross , nicknamed the "Little Demon", was a Scottish association football player of the Victorian era, younger brother of Nick Ross... |
Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
18 | 21 | 0.86 |
| 3 | Albert Allen Albert Allen Albert Allen was a football player in the early years of professional football in England, who played as an inside-forward with Aston Villa... |
Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... |
17 | 21 | 0.81 |
| 4 | John Southworth Jack Southworth John Southworth , was a footballer who played in the early days of professional football for Blackburn Rovers and Everton as well as being capped three times for England... |
Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
16 | 21 | 0.76 |
| Harry Wood Harry Wood (footballer) Harry Wood was a professional footballer who played most of his career as an inside-forward for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton.-Wolverhampton Wanderers:... |
Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... |
16 | 17 | 0.94 | |
| 6 | Thomas Green |
Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... |
14 | 21 | 0.67 |
| 7 | James Brogan |
Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers F.C. Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001.... |
13 | 22 | 0.59 |
| David Weir David Weir (English footballer) David Weir was an English footballer who played for several clubs in the 19th century, including Bolton Wanderers and Ardwick , and won two caps for England.-Club career:... |
Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers F.C. Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001.... |
13 | 22 | 0.59 | |
| 9 | Frederick Dewhurst Fred Dewhurst Fred Dewhurst was a professional footballer, who played as an inside forward for Preston North End in the late 19th century... |
Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
12 | 17 | 0.71 |
| Herbert L. Fecitt Harry Fecitt Herbert L. Fecitt was an English association football player of the Victorian era. Born in Blackburn, he played for the Blackburn club King's Own F.C. before joining Blackburn Rovers in 1888. Although he was one of the top scorers Herbert L. (Harry) Fecitt (born Blackburn, 1862) was an English... |
Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
12 | 17 | 0.71 | |
| Alexander Barbour Alexander Barbour Alexander Barbour was a Scottish footballer who played for , , Glossop North End, and the Scotland national team.He was born in Dumbarton.... |
Accrington Accrington F.C. Accrington Football Club were an English football club from Accrington, Lancashire, who were one of the founder members of The Football League. Accrington F.C. was formed following a meeting at a local public house in 1876... |
12 | 19 | 0.63 | |
| Alexander Higgins Alexander Higgins (footballer born 1869) William Alexander Higgins was an English footballer. His regular position was at full back. He was born in Smethwick, Staffordshire. He played for Manchester United, Albion Swifts, Birmingham St George's, Grimsby Town, Bristol City, Newcastle United, and Middlesbrough.-External links:*... |
Derby County Derby County F.C. Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English... |
12 | 21 | 0.57 | |
| Thomas Pearson Tom Pearson Thomas Pearson was an English footballer who played at inside-left.- Career :Pearson was born in West Bromwich. He turned professional with West Bromwich Albion in April 1886 and made his debut in February 1887 against Notts County in the sixth round of the FA Cup... |
West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion F.C. West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands... |
12 | 22 | 0.55 |
Top scorers in order of efficiency
| Rank | Scorer | Club | Goals per match | Goals | Matches played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Goodall John Goodall John Goodall was a footballer who rose to fame as a centre-forward for England and for Preston North End at the time of the development of the Football League, and also became Watford's first manager in 1903... |
Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
1.00 | 21 | 21 |
| 2 | Harry Wood Harry Wood (footballer) Harry Wood was a professional footballer who played most of his career as an inside-forward for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton.-Wolverhampton Wanderers:... |
Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at... |
0.94 | 16 | 17 |
| 3 | James D. Ross Jimmy Ross James D. “Jimmy” Ross , nicknamed the "Little Demon", was a Scottish association football player of the Victorian era, younger brother of Nick Ross... |
Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
0.86 | 18 | 21 |
| 4 | Albert Allen Albert Allen Albert Allen was a football player in the early years of professional football in England, who played as an inside-forward with Aston Villa... |
Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... |
0.81 | 17 | 21 |
| 5 | John Southworth Jack Southworth John Southworth , was a footballer who played in the early days of professional football for Blackburn Rovers and Everton as well as being capped three times for England... |
Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
0.76 | 16 | 21 |
| 6 | Frederick Dewhurst Fred Dewhurst Fred Dewhurst was a professional footballer, who played as an inside forward for Preston North End in the late 19th century... |
Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
0.71 | 12 | 17 |
| Herbert L. Fecitt Harry Fecitt Herbert L. Fecitt was an English association football player of the Victorian era. Born in Blackburn, he played for the Blackburn club King's Own F.C. before joining Blackburn Rovers in 1888. Although he was one of the top scorers Herbert L. (Harry) Fecitt (born Blackburn, 1862) was an English... |
Blackburn Rovers Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.... |
0.71 | 12 | 17 | |
| 8 | Thomas Green |
Aston Villa Aston Villa F.C. Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder... |
0.67 | 14 | 21 |
| 9 | Alexander Barbour Alexander Barbour Alexander Barbour was a Scottish footballer who played for , , Glossop North End, and the Scotland national team.He was born in Dumbarton.... |
Accrington Accrington F.C. Accrington Football Club were an English football club from Accrington, Lancashire, who were one of the founder members of The Football League. Accrington F.C. was formed following a meeting at a local public house in 1876... |
0.63 | 12 | 19 |
| 10 | James Brogan |
Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers F.C. Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001.... |
0.59 | 13 | 22 |
| David Weir David Weir (English footballer) David Weir was an English footballer who played for several clubs in the 19th century, including Bolton Wanderers and Ardwick , and won two caps for England.-Club career:... |
Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers F.C. Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001.... |
0.59 | 13 | 22 | |
| 12 | Alexander Higgins Alexander Higgins (footballer born 1869) William Alexander Higgins was an English footballer. His regular position was at full back. He was born in Smethwick, Staffordshire. He played for Manchester United, Albion Swifts, Birmingham St George's, Grimsby Town, Bristol City, Newcastle United, and Middlesbrough.-External links:*... |
Derby County Derby County F.C. Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English... |
0.57 | 12 | 21 |
| 13 | Thomas Pearson Tom Pearson Thomas Pearson was an English footballer who played at inside-left.- Career :Pearson was born in West Bromwich. He turned professional with West Bromwich Albion in April 1886 and made his debut in February 1887 against Notts County in the sixth round of the FA Cup... |
West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion F.C. West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands... |
0.50 | 12 | 22 |
Best Goalkeepers
| Rank | Goalie | Club | Matches played | Goals allowed | Goals allowed per match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  James TrainerJames Trainer James Trainer was a Welsh association football player of the Victorian era... |
Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... |
20 | 13 | 0.65 |
Preston North End'sPreston North End F.C.Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
Champions Squad
| Player | Position | Matches played | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdom of England John Goodall John Goodall John Goodall was a footballer who rose to fame as a centre-forward for England and for Preston North End at the time of the development of the Football League, and also became Watford's first manager in 1903... |
Centre-forward | 22 | 21 |
| Kingdom of Scotland James D. Ross Jimmy Ross James D. “Jimmy” Ross , nicknamed the "Little Demon", was a Scottish association football player of the Victorian era, younger brother of Nick Ross... |
Inside forward Inside forward In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes... |
21 | 18 |
| Kingdom of England Frederick Dewhurst Fred Dewhurst Fred Dewhurst was a professional footballer, who played as an inside forward for Preston North End in the late 19th century... |
Inside forward Inside forward In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes... |
16 | 12 |
| Kingdom of England Robert Holmes Robert Holmes (footballer) Bob Holmes was a professional footballer, who was a member of the famous 'invincibles' of Preston North End.-Career:... |
Full back | 22 | 0 |
| Kingdom of England Robert Howarth Bob Howarth Bob Howarth was a leading footballer in the 1880s and 1890s. He was an England international and was a member of the Preston North End side that became famous as "The Invincibles".-Career:... |
Right back | 18 | 0 |
| Kingdom of Scotland George Drummond George Drummond (footballer) George "Geordie" Drummond was a professional association football player. Born in Edinburgh, he played for St Bernard's before joining Preston North End. He was a key member of the Preston team which won the first ever Football League championship in the 1888–89 season without losing a match... |
Any position including goal | 12 | 1 |
| Kingdom of Scotland John Graham Johnny Graham (footballer) John "Johnny" Graham was a leading professional footballer of the 1880s. He was a member of the Preston North End side which became famous as the 'invincibles'.-Career:... |
Left half | 22 | 0 |
| Jack Gordon Jack Gordon (footballer) John "Jack" Gordon was a leading professional footballer of the 1880s and 1890s. He was a member of the Preston North End side which became famous as the 'Invincibles'.-Career:Jack Gordon was born at Port Glasgow, Scotland in 1863... |
Right winger | 20 | 10 |
| Kingdom of Scotland Samuel Thompson Sam Thomson (footballer) Sam Thomson was a leading professional footballer of the 1880s and 1890s. He was a Scottish international, and was a member of the Preston North End side which became famous as the 'invincibles'.-Career:... |
Left wing among others | 16 | 3 |
| Kingdom of England William Graham |
Centre half | 5 | 0 |
| Kingdom of England Richard Whittle Richard Whittle Richard Whittle was a footballer who played in The Football League for Preston North End. His only game and goal for Preston came in a 7–0 win over Stoke in October 1888.-References:... |
Defender | 1 | 1 |
| Kingdom of England Jack Edwards |
4 | 3 | |
| Kingdom of England Jock Inglis Jock Inglis Jock Inglis was a footballer who played in The Football League for Preston North End.-References:... |
Striker | 1 | 1 |
 Northern Ireland Archibald Goodall |
Inside left | 2 | 1 |
| Kingdom of Scotland Sandy Robertson |
Forward | 21 | 3 |
| Kingdom of Scotland David Russell |
Centre half | 18 | 0 |
| Wales James Trainer James Trainer James Trainer was a Welsh association football player of the Victorian era... |
Goalkeeper | 20 | 0 |
| Wales Dr Robert Mills-Roberts Robert Mills-Roberts Dr. Robert Herbert Mills-Roberts was a leading football player in the 1880s. He was a Welsh International, and was a player in the Preston North End side which became known as "The Invincibles".... |
Goalkeeper | 2 | 0 |
| Total matches/goals | 22 | 74 |
Opening day
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 goal average, which would be used to separate teams who were tied on points at that time. Preston defeated Burnley 5-2, Derby were 6-3 winners at Bolton and Everton secured the points in a 2-1 victory over Accrington. Gershom CoxGershom Cox
Gershom Cox was a professional footballer who played as a full-back for Aston Villa from 1888 to 1893.-Career:...
earned the distinction of scoring the first ever league goal. Unfortunately the Aston Villa defender put through his own goal in a 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Minutes later Fred Dewhurst
Fred Dewhurst
Fred Dewhurst was a professional footballer, who played as an inside forward for Preston North End in the late 19th century...
opened the scoring at Preston with the first intentional goal.
Preston go top of the League 15 September 1888
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 GoodallArchie Goodall
Archibald Lee Goodall , commonly referred to as Archie Goodall, is a former Irish footballer who played for, among others, Derby County and Ireland. Goodall made 423 appearances and scored 52 goals for County...
scoring on his Preston debut. 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.
Saturday 22 September 1888
A 2-6 defeat for West Bromwich Albion at Blackburn Rovers and a 1-2 defeat for Everton at Aston Villa left Preston as the only team with a 100% record after three games when they defeated Bolton Wanderers 3-1 at Deepdale. Stoke recorded their first ever league victory 3-0 over Notts County, who themselves replaced Stoke at the foot of the table. County had lost both their opening two fixtures while Bolton had yet to secure a point from three.Saturday 29 September 1888
Preston’s 100% record was maintained when they won 3-2 at Derby County while second placed Aston Villa set a record victory up to that time when they defeated bottom club Notts County 9-1. Bolton recorded their first ever league victory at the fourth attempt, 6-2 against Everton.Saturday 6 October 1888
Richard WhittleRichard Whittle
Richard Whittle was a footballer who played in The Football League for Preston North End. His only game and goal for Preston came in a 7–0 win over Stoke in October 1888.-References:...
marked his Preston debut with a goal in their 7-0 victory over Stoke to take their perfect start to five games. Their lead at the top was doubled to two points when Aston Villa suffered their first defeat of the season 0-2 at Everton. West Bromwich Albion moved up to second after beating Derby County 5-0 while Notts County secured their first ever point at the fourth attempt in a 3-3 draw with Blackburn Rovers yet remained at the foot of the table.
Saturday 13 October 1888 Preston North End vs West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion visited Deepdale for the first ever league clash between teams occupying the top two positions at kick off. Albion trailed Preston by two points and required a six goal victory to overtake the leaders on goal average but Preston stretched their perfect start to six games with a 3-0 victory. Aston Villa moved back into second place, three points behind Preston on the same day when they defeated Blackburn Rovers 6-1. Notts County became the last team to secure a victory when they defeated Everton 3-1 in what was their fifth game.Saturday 20 October 1888
Accrington became the first team to gain a point against Preston when they held the league leaders to a 0-0 draw in what was their seventh game of the season. Aston Villa won 3-2 at Bolton to reduce Preston’s lead to two points.Saturday 27 October 1888
Preston North End extended their unbeaten start to the season to eight games when they defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 5-2 at Deepdale with John GoodallJohn Goodall
John Goodall was a footballer who rose to fame as a centre-forward for England and for Preston North End at the time of the development of the Football League, and also became Watford's first manager in 1903...
scoring a hat-trick. Alex McKinnon earned the distinction of being the first player to score a league hat-trick for Everton in their 6-2 victory over Derby County who fell to the bottom of the league as a result of a sensational 6-1 victory for Notts County over Burnley. Blackburn Rovers also enjoyed a comprehensive 5-2 victory over Stoke to climb to sixth in the table.
Saturday 3 November 1888
Preston stretched their unbeaten start to the season to nine games when Jack GordonJack Gordon (footballer)
John "Jack" Gordon was a leading professional footballer of the 1880s and 1890s. He was a member of the Preston North End side which became famous as the 'Invincibles'.-Career:Jack Gordon was born at Port Glasgow, Scotland in 1863...
and John Goodall both scored hat-tricks in a 7-0 victory at Notts County. This was Goodall’s second hat-trick in consecutive games and took Preston three points clear of Aston Villa who were held 1-1 at Stoke. Blackburn Rovers also scored seven goals away from home at Burnley, who did manage a goal in reply.
Saturday 10 November 1888; Preston North End vs Aston Villa
When Aston Villa visited Preston North End on Saturday 10 November 1888 it was both teams tenth game of their twenty-two game programme and the second time in history that two teams had played a fixture while occupying the top two positions in the league. Villa went into the game trailing Preston by three points but a 1-1 draw maintained the status quo.Monday 12 November 1888
Preston’s completed the first half of their programme unbeaten when they won 3-0 at Stoke in the only fixture played that day. The result took Preston five points clear of second placed Aston Villa who held one game in hand.Saturday 17 November 1888
Preston increased their lead to seven points with a 2-0 defeat of Accrington while Aston Villa were beaten 1-5 at Blackburn Rovers.Saturday 24 November 1888
Blackburn Rovers completed a run of five straight victories when they won 2-0 at bottom club Derby to move into third place, eight points behind leaders Preston whose unbeaten start increased to thirteen games with a 5-2 victory at Bolton.Saturday 8 December 1888
Bottom club Derby travelled to unbeaten league leaders Preston having not won in nine games, the last seven of which had all ended in defeat. Jock InglisJock Inglis
Jock Inglis was a footballer who played in The Football League for Preston North End.-References:...
made his Preston debut and scored in their 5-0 victory
Saturday 15 December 1888
Preston North End were held to a draw for only the third time at the fifteenth attempt, 2-2 at Burnley. Their nearest challengers, Aston Villa were unable to make any impact into the seven point deficit though as they too were held 1-1 at Accrington.Saturday 22 December 1888
Preston’s 3-0 defeat of Everton took their unbeaten start to the season to sixteen games.Wednesday 26 December 1888
The top club met the bottom club for the second time in a month as Derby travelled to Preston on Boxing Day. The league leaders repeated the 5-0 score they had achieved in the reverse fixture and, with Aston Villa not playing, they established a nine point lead having played two games more.5 January 1889: Preston Champions
A 1-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers on 29 December took Preston North End into the new year still unbeaten with just four games remaining. Their first game of 1889 would be at home to Notts County in a game that would see them crowned champions of the inaugural league with three games to spare provided Aston Villa also lost at Burnley. Notts County arrived at Deepdale having failed to win in seven outings, the last five of which had all ended in defeat and rarely threatened as Preston ran out 4-1 winners. Aston Villa slumped to a 0-4 defeat at Burnley which saw Preston crowned champions. The Deepdale club remained unbeaten in their final three games to complete their league programme unbeaten.See also
- 1888-89 in English football1888-89 in English footballThe 1888–1889 season was the 18th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:A new competition, The Football League, started this season...
- 1888 in association football
- 1889 in association football