History of Football
The FA Challenge Cup followed in 1871 with great success and
Aston Villa director William McGregor eventually mooted the concept of a league
competition in 1888 in collaboration with 11 other clubs. Initially set up as the
Football League, with a 50-50 split between the North and the Midlands on one side
and the South on the other, the true First Division only came as a result of the merger
with the rivalling Football Alliance (set up in 1889) in 1892. The list of clubs went as
follows:
Accrington
Aston Villa
Blackburn Rovers
Bolton Wanderers
Burnley
Derby County
Everton
Notts County
Preston North End
Stoke City
WBA
Wolves
Ardwick (later Manchester City)
Burton Swifts
Lincoln City
The rise of club football made international football an obvious idea and, the first
international match was played between England and Scotland in Partick in
November 1872, ending in a disappointing 0-0. However, Scotland's influence on
England even at this early stage was palpable
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