Football as we know it today has evolved over more than a century, but its roots trace back to the late 19th century when the game transformed from an amateur pastime into a fully professional sport. In this article, we explore the birth of professional football, the clubs that pioneered the modern game, and the earliest records that have stood the test of time.
The First Professional Clubs
Before professionalism, football was largely an amateur pursuit, played by university teams and factory workers for recreation. However, the demand for structured competition led to the formation of the world’s first football clubs.
- Sheffield FC (1857) – Recognized as the world’s oldest football club still in existence, Sheffield FC was founded in England by Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest. While not professional, it played a key role in developing early football rules, such as corner kicks and throw-ins.
- Notts County (1862) – One of the first organized football clubs, Notts County played a crucial role in the transition toward a structured club-based system. The club went on to become a founding member of the Football League in 1888 and is still active today.
- Darwen FC and the Rise of Professionalism – The late 1870s saw a major shift when clubs began offering financial incentives to players. Darwen FC, a working-class club from Lancashire, became famous for challenging the dominance of amateur elite teams by fielding paid players, particularly Scottish professionals known as “Scotch Professors.” This led to controversy, as professionalism was initially banned, but the success of paid players forced the FA to legalize professionalism in 1885.
- Preston North End (1880s) – As one of the first clubs to fully embrace professionalism, Preston North End assembled a dominant squad. Known as “The Invincibles,” they became the first champions of the English Football League in 1888-89, going unbeaten in both the league and FA Cup that season—a record that remains historic.
The First Competitions and Champions
As clubs multiplied, structured competitions emerged to formalize the sport and provide teams with an incentive to compete at a higher level.
- The FA Cup (1871-72) – The oldest national football competition in the world, the Football Association Challenge Cup (FA Cup) was introduced in England. The first tournament featured 15 teams, with Wanderers FC emerging as the first winners after defeating Royal Engineers 1-0 in the final. Wanderers went on to win five FA Cups in the competition’s early years.
- The Football League (1888-89) – Founded by William McGregor, a director of Aston Villa, the Football League was the first organized league competition. It began with 12 clubs, including Aston Villa, Everton, and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Preston North End dominated the inaugural season, finishing with 18 wins, 4 draws, and no losses.
- Early European Leagues – While England led the way, professional leagues soon formed across Europe. Scotland established its Football League in 1890, followed by the Netherlands in 1898 and Spain in 1929. The first official German league, the Bundesliga, was introduced much later in 1963.
- First International Club Tournament – Before the advent of European club competitions, the Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy (1909) is considered one of the earliest international club tournaments. Held in Italy, it featured teams from England, Italy, Switzerland, and Germany, with West Auckland Town FC—an amateur side from England—emerging as surprise winners.
Unbreakable Records from the Earliest Days
Some records set during these formative years remain untouched or incredibly difficult to surpass.
- Longest Unbeaten Run in an Inaugural League Season – Preston North End’s unbeaten 1888-89 campaign remains legendary as the first “invincible” season in league history. They also won the FA Cup without conceding a single goal, an achievement never repeated in modern football.
- Earliest Recorded Hat-Trick – James Kenyon “Kenny” Davenport is credited with scoring the first hat-trick in Football League history for Bolton Wanderers in 1888. This marked the beginning of a tradition that would be celebrated throughout football history.
- First Professional Transfer Fee – The concept of transfer fees began when Aston Villa paid West Bromwich Albion £100 in 1893 for Willie Groves. This was considered an enormous sum at the time and paved the way for the modern transfer market, which has since grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry.
- First Club to Win Multiple FA Cups – Wanderers FC set the standard early on, winning five FA Cups in the 1870s, a record that stood for decades until other clubs emerged as dominant forces in the competition.
- Oldest Club Still Playing Professional Football – While Sheffield FC holds the title of the oldest football club, Notts County is recognized as the oldest club still playing at a professional level, having maintained its status since 1862.
The birth of professional football laid the foundation for the global sport we see today. The clubs that pioneered professionalism, the competitions that structured the game, and the records that emerged in the late 19th century remain crucial pieces of football’s rich history. While the sport has evolved immensely—with tactics, technology, and player conditioning changing the game—these early milestones continue to be celebrated as the origins of the beautiful game.
From the dominance of Preston North End to the financial innovations of transfer fees, the late 19th century shaped football into a sport that would capture the hearts of millions.