On This Day – 22nd March
It was on this day in 1888 that the Football League was formed.
Aston Villa director William McGregor was the brains behind the formation. He thought that a proper structure would need to be in place to organise the club’s finances.
Representatives from 12 clubs met at Anderson’s Hotel in Fleet Street, London to talk through the idea of a League.
The 12 clubs were Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The first round of fixtures were played on 8th September 1888. Preston North End were the first Champions of the Football League, going the whole season unbeaten. They won all but four of their matches, scoring 74 goals in their 22 games.
Incredibly there were three matches with ten goals scored over the course of the season. Aston Villa beat Notts County 9-1, Bolton also beat County 7-3 and Blackburn and Accrington played out a 5-5 draw.
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