The Invincibles Preston North End Football Club , commonly referred to as Preston , North End or PNE , is a professional association football club in Preston, Lancashire , England. They currently play in the EFL Championship , the second level of the English football league system . Originally a cricket club, Preston North End has been based at Deepdale since 1875. The club first took up football in 1878 as a winter fitness activity, and decided to focus on it in May 1880, when the football club was officially founded. Deepdale is now football's oldest ground in terms of continuous use by a league club. Preston North End was a founder member of the Football League in 1888. In the 1888–89 season , the team won both the inaugural league championship and the FA Cup , the latter without conceding a goal. They were the first team to achieve the " Double " in English football and, as they were unbeaten in all matches, are remembered as " The Invincibles ". Preston won the league championship again in 1889–90 but their only major success since then has been their 1938 FA Cup final victory over Huddersfield Town . The club's most famous players have been Sir Tom Finney , Alan Kelly Sr. and Bill Shankly , who are all commemorated at Deepdale by stands named after them. Until 1961, Preston were usually members of the First Division but, having been relegated after the 1960–61 season , they have not yet returned to the top flight. They were first relegated to the Third Division after the 1969–70 season and have spent 28 of the 49 seasons since 1970 in the bottom two divisions of the Football League, including a span of 19 seasons from 1981–1982 to 1999–2000. Preston has faced serious financial issues and was twice in danger of closure. The club was owned by businessman Trevor Hemmings until his death in October 2021 and has been in the EFL Championship since gaining promotion in 2015, with a highest finishing position since then of 7th ( 2017–18 ). Preston North End was founded in 1863, originally as a cricket club, and played their first matches at the Marsh near the River Ribble in the Preston suburb of Ashton . Later that year, they switched to Moor Park in the north of the town, calling themselves "North End" in recognition of the new location. On 21 January 1875, the club leased a field opposite Moor Park on the site of the current Deepdale stadium, which has been its home ever since. [ 1 ] The club formed a rugby union team in 1877 as a winter fitness activity but this was not a success and, a year later, they played their first game under the rules of association football . In May 1880, a proposal to fully adopt the association code was unanimously accepted and Preston North End Football Club was officially founded. [ 1 ] Preston became one of the first professional clubs by hiring players from Scotland. The players who came from Scotland to play in England in those days were known as the Scotch Professors . In the 1887-88 season , they beat Hyde 26–0 in the first round of the FA Cup , still a record winning margin in English first-class football. Scottish forward Jimmy Ross scored eight goals in the match before going on to score 19 goals in the competition that season, also still a record. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] In 1888–89 , Preston became the first league champions and the first winners of " The Double ", becoming the only team to date to go throughout an entire season unbeaten in both the league and FA Cup – winning the FA Cup without conceding a goal. [ 4 ] The team did so with a majority of their team being made up of Scottish players (the Scotch Professors ). [ 5 ] In a contribution to Paul Agnew's 1989 biography of Tom Finney , the player himself wrote: "The club has long been known as Proud Preston, and the Old Invincibles of the previous century set some incredible standards". [ 6 ] The author wrote elsewhere: "...and that team became immortalised as the 'Old Invincibles'". [ 7 ] Other sources call the team "The Invincibles" and both versions of the nickname have been used. [ 8 ] In his autobiography, Finney wrote: "The championship stayed with North End — by now tagged the Old Invincibles — the following year, but runners-up spot had to suffice for the next three seasons". [ 9 ] As Finney said, Preston were league champions again in 1889–90, but have not won the title since. In total, they have been league runners-up six times, including the three consecutive seasons from 1890-91 to 1892–93, and twice in the 1950s when Finney was playing. The club's last major trophy win was in the 1938 FA Cup Final when they defeated Huddersfield Town 1–0 and the team included Bill Shankly , Andy Beattie and goalscorer George Mutch . [ 10 ] Preston's most famous player, Tom Finney , joined the club as a teenager in 1938. His first team debut was delayed until 1946 by the Second World War but he played for Preston until he retired in 1960. He was nicknamed the "Preston Plumber" because of his local business. Finney remains the club's top goalscorer, with 187 goals from 433 appearances, and also scored 30 international goals for England in 76 appearances. [ 11 ] A year after Finney's retirement, Preston were relegated to the Second Division and have not played in the top division since. They had a memorable season in 1963–64 when, managed by former player Jimmy Milne , they finished third in the Second Division and reached the 1964 FA Cup Final where they lost a thrilling match 3–2 to West Ham United . Preston were first relegated to the Third Division after the 1969–70 season . Although they won promotion again immediately, the team have spent 28 of the 49 seasons since 1970 in the bottom two divisions, including a span of 19 seasons from 1981-82 to 1999–2000. The club experienced a near-terminal decline in the 1980s which brought about the very real threat of closure, the nadir being the 1985–86 season when they finished 23rd in the Fourth Division and had to seek re-election to the league. Under manager John McGrath , the team recovered and won promotion back to the Third Division only a year later but it was a false dawn as the team spent another three years in the bottom division from 1993 to 1996. The club finally began to recover and move forward after a takeover by heating manufacturer Baxi in 1994 but their ownership ended in June 2002. [ 12 ] [ 13 ] The team's central defender David Moyes , then aged 34, began his managerial career when appointed by the Baxi-controlled board in February 1998. Moyes was successful and managed the team to the third tier championship in 2000. Preston reached the 2001 play-off final but were defeated by Bolton Wanderers . In the 2005 play-off final , under Moyes' successor Billy Davies , Preston were beaten 1–0 by West Ham United. [ 14 ] Following the Baxi sell-off and the departure of Moyes to Everton in 2002, the team was established at second-tier level through the 2000s but more problems arose at the end of the decade with an HM Revenue and Customs winding-up order in 2010 and relegation to the third tier in 2011. The taxation issue was resolved by local businessman Trevor Hemmings , already a shareholder, who bought a controlling interest in June 2010. [ 15 ] The team were promoted again, via the play-offs, in 2015 and have remained in the EFL Championship since then, with a highest finishing position of 7th in the 2017–18 season . Preston North End reached the 2024–25 FA Cup quarter-finals but they lost 3–0 against Aston Villa at Deepdale . [ 16 ] Deepdale was the original cricket club's home from 1875 and has been a football venue from 1878. It is the world's oldest football ground in terms of continuous use by a club in a major league. The biggest attendance seen was 42,684 for a Division One clash with Arsenal in April 1938. When Baxi took control, it embarked on an investment programme between 1996 and 2009 with the aim of upgrading Deepdale into a modern stadium. The old ground was demolished and rebuilt in four stages and the last of the new stands was opened in 2008. The stadium has a seated capacity of 23,404. The current pitch dimensions are 110 x 75 yards. [ 17 ] Part of the Baxi-funded redevelopment was the original National Football Museum , which opened at Deepdale in 2001 but was relocated to Manchester in 2012 after being closed for two years. [ 18 ] Outside the Sir Tom Finney Stand is a statue of the famous player himself, which is known as "The Splash" or the "Tom Finney Splash". The statue, sculpted by Peter Hodgkinson and unveiled in July 2004, was inspired by a famous photograph taken at the Chelsea versus Preston game in 1956, played at Stamford Bridge in particularly wet conditions. [ 17 ] 1913 terrorist incident An attempt was made to destroy the ground in 1913. As part of the suffragette bombing and arson campaign , suffragettes carried out a series of bombings and arson attacks nationwide during their campaign for women's suffrage. [ 19 ] In April 1913, suffragettes attempted to burn down Deepdale's grandstand but were foiled. [ 20 ] In the same year, suffragettes succeeded in burning down Arsenal 's then South London stadium, and also attempted to burn down Blackburn Rovers ' ground. [ 20 ] More traditionally male sports were targeted in order to protest against male dominance . [ 21 ] Sponsorship and kits Preston North End have traditionally worn white shirts with blue shorts for their home kit, with yellow being a common colour for Preston's away kit. The club's main sponsors, since shirt sponsorship was introduced in 1979, have been as follows: [ 22 ] Historically, Preston North End's main rivalry is with Blackpool — the two clubs' grounds being seventeen miles apart — and the West Lancashire derby between the two clubs has been contested 96 times across all four divisions of the Football League and cup competitions since 1901. [ 23 ] Preston's other local rivals in the league over the years include Blackburn Rovers , Burnley , Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic . Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules ; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Players out on loan Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules ; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Technical staff Below is a list of non-playing personnel: [ 24 ] [ 25 ] Managerial history The following is a list of Preston North End managers since 1986, excluding caretakers: [ 26 ] [ 27 ] Most Goals (Overall): Tom Finney , 210 goals from 473 appearances. Most League Goals: Tom Finney, 187 goals from 433 appearances. Most Appearances (Overall): Alan Kelly, Sr. , 511 appearances (between 1958 and 1973). Most League Goals in a Season: Ted Harper , 37 in Football League Second Division , 1932–33 [ 28 ] Record Attendance: 42,684 v Arsenal , Football League First Division , 23 April 1938 [ 28 ] Record Cup Victory: 26–0 v Hyde , FA Cup, 15 October 1887 [ 28 ] Record League Victory: 10–0 v Stoke , Football League Division One , 14 September 1889 [ 28 ] Record Defeat: 0–7 v Blackpool , Division 1, 1 May 1948 Transfer Record (Paid): £6,000,000 for Alfie Devine from Tottenham Hotspur , July 2026 Transfer Record (Received): £10,000,000 for Jordan Hugill to West Ham United , January 2018 [ 29 ] Youngest Ever Player: Ethan Walker 16 years and 156 days Oldest Ever Player: Bob Kelly 41 years and two months [ 30 ] In 1996, Preston's Third Division title made them the third club to have been champions of each of the top four professional leagues in English football. This feat was previously achieved by Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1988, and Burnley in 1992, and has since been achieved by Sheffield United and Portsmouth both in 2017. First Division (level 1) [ 31 ] Champions: 1888–89 , 1889–90 Runners-up: 1890–91 , 1891–92 , 1892–93 , 1905–06 , 1952–53 , 1957–58 Champions: 1888–89 , 1889–90 Runners-up: 1890–91 , 1891–92 , 1892–93 , 1905–06 , 1952–53 , 1957–58 Second Division (level 2) [ 31 ] Champions: 1903–04 , 1912–13 , 1950–51 Runners-up: 1914–15 , 1933–34 Champions: 1903–04 , 1912–13 , 1950–51 Runners-up: 1914–15 , 1933–34 Third Division / Second Division / League One (level 3) [ 31 ] Champions: 1970–71 , 1999–2000 Play-off winners: 2015 Champions: 1970–71 , 1999–2000 Play-off winners: 2015 Fourth Division / Third Division (level 4) [ 31 ] Champions: 1995–96 Runners-up: 1986–87 Champions: 1995–96 Runners-up: 1986–87 FA Cup Winners: 1888–89 , 1937–38 Runners-up: 1887–88 , 1921–22 , 1936–37 , 1953–54 , 1963–64 Winners: 1888–89 , 1937–38 Runners-up: 1887–88 , 1921–22 , 1936–37 , 1953–54 , 1963–64 FA Charity Shield Runners-up: 1938 Runners-up: 1938 Football League War Cup Winners: 1940–41 Winners: 1940–41 Lancashire Senior Cup Winners: 1886–87, 1892–93, 1894–95, 1899–1900, 1938–39, 1996–97 Winners: 1886–87, 1892–93, 1894–95, 1899–1900, 1938–39, 1996–97 Women's football The previously affiliated women's football team was called Preston North End W.F.C. In May 2016, they became Fylde Ladies F.C., in association with National League North side AFC Fylde . [ 32 ] 1 2 "Preston North End FC History" . Preston North End. 2018. Archived from the original on 6 June 2017 . Retrieved 25 August 2018 . ↑ "FA Cup Heroes" . The Football Association . Archived from the original on 25 April 2012 . Retrieved 10 July 2013 . ↑ "The Scottish Professors and their role in football's first Invincibles" . 19 February 2019. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020 . Retrieved 26 September 2020 . ↑ In 2003–04 , Arsenal also achieved an unbeaten season in the top flight , but they went out of the FA Cup at the semi-final stage. ↑ Aitken, Mike (22 March 2008). "Scots passing pioneers shaped football" . The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 6 March 2011 . Retrieved 9 February 2009 . ↑ Agnew, p. 55. ↑ Agnew, p. 53. ↑ "Remembering when Preston were The Invincibles" . Bolton News . 15 June 2001. Archived from the original on 19 August 2018 . Retrieved 19 August 2018 . ↑ Finney, Tom (2003). Tom Finney – My Autobiography . London: Headline Publishing. p. 113. ISBN 0-7553-1106-X . ↑ "Results & Matches on Saturday, 30 Apr 1938" . Racing Post . 2018. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018 . Retrieved 20 August 2018 . ↑ Finney, My Autobiography , pp. 415–419. ↑ "Col backed Baxi's PNE revolution" . Lancashire Evening Post . 8 February 2014. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018 . Retrieved 8 August 2018 . ↑ "Baxi in PNE sell-off" . Lancashire Evening Post . 28 June 2002. Archived from the original on 8 August 2018 . Retrieved 8 August 2018 . ↑ "West Ham 1–0 Preston" . BBC Sport. 30 May 2005. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007 . Retrieved 7 August 2018 . ↑ "Deal agreed for Preston North End takeover" . BBC Sport. 4 June 2010. Archived from the original on 5 June 2010 . Retrieved 6 August 2018 . ↑ "Preston 0-3 Aston Villa" . Aston Villa Football Club . 30 March 2025 . Retrieved 30 March 2025 . 1 2 "Deepdale – Preston North End" . Football Ground Guide (FGG). 2018. Archived from the original on 22 August 2018 . Retrieved 19 August 2018 . ↑ Airey, Tom (6 July 2012). "National Football Museum opens at new Manchester home" . BBC News . Archived from the original on 2 December 2017 . Retrieved 24 August 2018 . ↑ "Suffragettes, violence and militancy" . British Library . Archived from the original on 10 September 2021 . Retrieved 27 September 2021 . 1 2 Kay, Joyce (2008). "It Wasn't Just Emily Davison! Sport, Suffrage and Society in Edwardian Britain" . The International Journal of the History of Sport . 25 (10): 1343. doi : 10.1080/09523360802212271 . hdl : 1893/765 . ISSN 0952-3367 . S2CID 154063364 . Archived from the original on 17 September 2023 . Retrieved 29 September 2021 . ↑ Kay, Joyce (2008). "It Wasn't Just Emily Davison! Sport, Suffrage and Society in Edwardian Britain" . The International Journal of the History of Sport . 25 (10): 1345– 1346. doi : 10.1080/09523360802212271 . hdl : 1893/765 . ISSN 0952-3367 . S2CID 154063364 . Archived from the original on 17 September 2023 . Retrieved 29 September 2021 . ↑ "Preston North End – Sponsors Through the Years" . Historicalkits.co.uk. 2018. Archived from the original on 20 August 2018 . Retrieved 19 August 2018 . ↑ "Rivalry uncovered! The results of the largest ever survey into club rivalries" (PDF) . The Football Fans Census. December 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2009 . Retrieved 27 November 2007 . ↑ "First Team Management" . PNEFC. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017 . Retrieved 4 July 2017 . ↑ "Academy Staff" . PNEFC. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017 . Retrieved 4 July 2017 . ↑ "List of Preston North End F.C. Managers" . Preston North End. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012 . Retrieved 19 May 2012 . ↑ "Preston Manager History – Past & Present – Soccer Base" . Archived from the original on 8 November 2012 . Retrieved 11 September 2013 . 1 2 3 4 "Milestones" . Preston North End FC. 3 January 2008. Archived from the original on 7 March 2009 . Retrieved 22 November 2011 . ↑ "Jordan Hugill: West Ham sign Preston striker in reported £10m deal" . BBC Sport . 31 January 2018. Archived from the original on 3 February 2018 . Retrieved 31 January 2018 . ↑ "Age is just a number – Graham Alexander" . BBC Sport . 10 October 2011 . Retrieved 27 November 2011 . 1 2 3 4 Up until 1992, the top division of English football was the Football League First Division ; since then, it has been the Premier League . Similarly until 1992, the Second Division was the second tier of league football, when it became the First Division, and is now known as The Championship . The third tier was the Third Division until 1992, and is now known as League One . ↑ "PNE women's team have fresh start as Fylde Ladies" . Blackpool Gazette. 25 May 2016. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016 . Retrieved 2 June 2016 . Official website PNE section on Lancashire Evening Post online site Preston North End at Soccerbase History of Preston North End: 1862–1945 Online video footage of Preston North End winning the 1938 FA Cup Preston North End F.C. on BBC Sport : Club news – Recent results and fixtures Players of the Year The Invincibles West Lancashire derby League record by opponent Burial of the Coffin Blackburn Rovers Bolton Wanderers Preston North End West Bromwich Albion Wolverhampton Wanderers Birmingham City Blackburn Rovers Bolton Wanderers Charlton Athletic Preston North End Queens Park Rangers Sheffield United West Bromwich Albion West Ham United Wolverhampton Wanderers Brighton & Hove Albion Colchester United Crewe Alexandra Doncaster Rovers Huddersfield Town Milton Keynes Dons Newcastle United Nottingham Forest Peterborough United Plymouth Argyle Rotherham United Scunthorpe United

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