In May 1880 the captain of a cricket club in Preston proposed formally setting up a football team, and everyone agreed. The exact day was not recorded, so we celebrate on 1 May: on 1 May 2027 Preston North End turns 147. This is the club that won the first league title in history without losing a game.

From cricket to football

It all began around 1863 with a cricket team that became Preston North End Cricket Club, with George Howarth as its first president. In January 1875 the club leased land at Deepdale farm.

After an unsuccessful attempt at rugby, the players turned to football in the 1878-79 season. On 5 October 1878 they played their first known match at Deepdale, losing 1-0 to Eagley.

In May 1880 captain Harry Carmel proposed formally establishing the football section, and the motion passed unanimously. In 1883 the team turned professional.

Sudell and the Invincibles

The man behind the rise was William Sudell, who had joined the club aged 16, in 1867. His plan was simple: bring in the best players he could find, mostly from Scotland.

In 1888 Preston were founder members of the Football League and won the title in the very first season without a single defeat. They also won the FA Cup without conceding a goal, beating Wolves 3-0 in the final, and became the first team to do the Double.

Ever since, the side has been remembered as "The Old Invincibles". The following season they won the league again.

White since 1888

When they joined the Football League, Preston played in plain white shirts and navy shorts. That white shirt also gave them the nickname "Lilywhites".

The combination of white and navy has remained the club's identity ever since. In the 1970s, during the years in the second and third tiers, the team also wore an all-white kit for a time.

The lamb and the two Ps

Until 1933 the shirt had no badge, and when it got one it was based on the town's coat of arms. At its centre is the lamb of St Wilfrid, Preston's patron saint, holding a banner.

The initials "PP" stand for "Princeps Pacis", "Prince of Peace", a title of Christ from the prophet Isaiah. At the 1964 FA Cup final the press read them as "Proud Preston", and the name stuck.

In 1995 the badge was redesigned and the "PP" made way for the club's name.

Deepdale, Mutch and Shankly

Deepdale is considered the oldest football ground in the world in continuous use by a league club. From 2001 to 2012 it also housed the National Football Museum, before the museum moved to Manchester.

In 1938 Preston won their second FA Cup, with a George Mutch penalty in the last minute of extra time against Huddersfield. It was the first FA Cup final shown on television, and the team included Bill Shankly, later a Liverpool legend.

From Finney to Beckham

The club's greatest legend is Tom Finney, who stayed loyal to Preston until 1960. He is the club's all-time top scorer with 210 goals and won 76 England caps.

The appearance record belongs to goalkeeper Alan Kelly, with 511 games. In 1995 a young David Beckham also arrived on loan from United, and scored direct from a corner on his Deepdale debut.

Celebrate with us

Almost a century and a half later, Preston still carry the story of England's first champions on their white shirt. Happy 147th birthday, Lilywhites!

See our Preston North End jerseys at sportarena.gr.

Photo: Preston North End in 1888-89, the first Football League champions – unknown photographer, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.