Saturday 15 August. Preston North End at the Toughsheet Community Stadium. Wanderers’ first Championship fixture in seven years.
Now put that in context.
When these two clubs first met in league football, the Football League itself was a fortnight old.
Both were there at the creation. In March 1888 an Aston Villa committee man named William McGregor wrote to five clubs with an idea. The leading sides in England should agree fixtures home and away across a season rather than trusting to friendlies that fell through at a day’s notice.
Two of those five letters landed in Lancashire mill towns. One in Bolton. One in Preston.
Wanderers’ secretary John J. Bentley wrote back at once and pushed McGregor to widen the invitation. By 17 April the clubs had gathered at the Royal Hotel in Manchester and agreed a name. Twelve members. Six of them from Lancashire.
The first fixtures went ahead on 8 September 1888. Wanderers hosted Derby County at Pike’s Lane, off Deane Road, and two minutes in a winger called Kenny Davenport put the ball past the Derby keeper.
That is the first goal ever scored in league football anywhere in the world.
For 125 years nobody knew it. Credit sat with an Aston Villa own goal until the historian Mark Metcalf went back through the kick-off times printed in the following Monday’s papers and proved Davenport’s, at 3.47pm, came first. A blue plaque on Bankfield Street marks the spot. Thousands of supporters pass it on a matchday without a glance.
Derby won 6-3, which took some of the shine off the afternoon.
Preston had the better first season by a distance. They took that opening title without losing a match, 18 wins and 4 draws from 22 and lifted the FA Cup as well. The Invincibles, and they earned the name.
Wanderers finished fifth.
The clubs met for the first time on 22 September 1888 at Deepdale, 5,000 in for a 3-1 North End win. Preston took the return at Pike’s Lane 5-2 as well.
146 meetings later, across all competitions, there is next to nothing in it. Preston 55 wins. Wanderers 51. Forty drawn.
A hundred and thirty-eight years, and the argument is still live.
It resumes at 3pm on 15 August.
Wanderers open the Championship campaign against Preston North End at the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Saturday 15 August, 12:30pm.