The Football League kicked off for the first time on September 8th 1888 with an original contingent of 12 clubs, these clubs being; Preston North End; Everton; Bolton Wanderers; Blackburn Rovers; Accrington; Burnley; Wolverhampton Wanderers; Aston Villa; West Bromwich Albion; Derby County; Notts County and Stoke.

Preston North End went on to win the first ever Football League championship without losing a game and also won the FA Cup that year without conceeding a goal.

Since then the football league has seen massive changes, including; the introduction of 3 points for a win in 1981; relegation and promotion play-offs in 1987 then a one-off promotion final from 1990; the breakaway of the FA Premier League in 1992; trials of 'plastic pitches' at QPR, Preston, Luton and Oldham; the collapse of ITV Digital in the 2001/02 season but in the same season agreeing 2 up/2 down from the Football Conference and in 2004 the massive re-branding of the Football League to include the Championship, League 1 and League 2.