1888-89 English Division One
Fixtures
| Date | Opponents | Score | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep | 8 | A | Everton | L | 2 - 1 |
| 15 | A | Blackburn | D | 5 - 5 | |
| 22 | A | Derby | D | 1 - 1 | |
| 29 | A | Stoke | W | 2 - 4 | |
| Oct | 6 | H | Wolves | D | 4 - 4 |
| 13 | H | Derby | W | 6 - 2 | |
| 20 | H | Preston | D | 0 - 0 | |
| 27 | A | Aston Villa | L | 4 - 3 | |
| Nov | 3 | A | West Brom | D | 2 - 2 |
| 10 | A | Notts Co | D | 3 - 3 | |
| 17 | A | Preston | L | 2 - 0 | |
| 24 | H | West Brom | W | 2 - 1 | |
| Dec | 1 | H | Burnley | W | 5 - 1 |
| 8 | A | Wolves | L | 4 - 0 | |
| 15 | H | Aston Villa | D | 1 - 1 | |
| 22 | A | Bolton | L | 4 - 1 | |
| 29 | H | Everton | W | 3 - 1 | |
| Jan | 12 | A | Burnley | D | 2 - 2 |
| 19 | H | Blackburn | L | 0 - 2 | |
| 26 | H | Notts Co | L | 1 - 2 | |
| Feb | 2 | H | Blackburn | D | 1 - 1 |
| 9 | A | Blackburn | L | 5 - 0 | |
| Mar | 23 | H | Bolton | L | 2 - 3 |
| Apr | 20 | H | Stoke | W | 2 - 0 |
Final League Table 1888-89
| H | A | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Preston | 22 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 8 | +59 | 40 (C) |
| 2 | Aston Villa | 22 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 27 | +18 | 29 |
| 3 | Wolves | 22 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 30 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 23 | +13 | 28 |
| 4 | Blackburn | 22 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 44 | 22 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 23 | +21 | 26 |
| 5 | Bolton | 22 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 35 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 28 | 29 | +4 | 22 |
| 6 | West Brom | 22 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 22 | -6 | 22 |
| 7 | Accrington | 22 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 22 | 31 | 0 | 20 |
| 8 | Everton | 22 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 29 | -11 | 20 |
| 9 | Burnley | 22 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 21 | 43 | -20 | 17 |
| 10 | Derby | 22 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 19 | 41 | -20 | 16 |
| 11 | Notts Co | 22 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 41 | -33 | 12 |
| 12 | Stoke | 22 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 33 | -25 | 12 |
Bottom four teams re-elected
Accrington’s 1888–89 Campaign: A Founding Season in the Football League
Accrington entered the inaugural 1888–89 Football League season with pride and optimism, one of the twelve pioneering clubs to take part in what was now the world’s first organised league competition. However, while they brought experience and a competitive squad, the challenges of maintaining consistency at the highest level soon became apparent.
Accrington’s first-ever League match took place on 8 September 1888, away to Everton at Anfield (then Everton’s home ground). The match ended in a 2–1 defeat for Accrington, despite a promising performance. The club’s first Football League victory came a week later, on 15 September, when they defeated Derby County 6–2 at Thornyholme Road—a resounding statement of their attacking potential.
The team quickly established a reputation for their physical style of play and unpredictable results. While capable of scoring freely at home, Accrington struggled for consistency, particularly away from Thornyholme Road. They recorded notable wins over Stoke (4–2), Notts County (3–1), and Blackburn Rovers (5–1), demonstrating their ability to compete with some of the more established names in the League.
However, defensive frailties and a lack of squad depth began to show as the season progressed. Accrington’s away form was especially poor, with just one win on the road all season. Still, their strong home performances helped them avoid the ignominy of finishing near the bottom of the table.
By the close of the campaign, Accrington had played all 22 fixtures, finishing with a record of:
- 6 wins
- 8 draws
- 8 defeats
They ended the season in seventh place, comfortably above Stoke and Notts County, who had to apply for re-election to the League. Preston North End, known as “The Invincibles,” dominated the season, going unbeaten and finishing as runaway champions.
Though Accrington were not among the frontrunners, their mid-table finish in such a prestigious and competitive league was a respectable achievement. The campaign highlighted both the club’s strengths—particularly their spirited home form—and the challenges they would need to address to remain competitive in the rapidly professionalising world of English football.
The 1888–89 season not only marked a milestone for the sport but also secured Accrington’s legacy as one of the founding members of the Football League—forever etched in football history.