Everton, Founder Member of the Football League

Everton, Founder Member of the Football League

 Everton Football Club occupies a permanent and foundational place in the history of the English game. As one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888, Everton stood at the very centre of football’s transition from regional pastime to organised national competition.

 The club’s first League match was played on 8 September 1888, when Everton defeated Accrington 2–1, marking not only the beginning of their league journey but also the dawn of structured professional football in England. Founded at St. Domingo Methodist New Connexion Chapel, Everton were already a powerful and well-supported club, recognised for their organisation, ambition, and sporting authority.

 Participation in the inaugural 1888/89 Football League season placed Everton among the true architects of the modern game. These clubs did not merely join a competition—they defined it. Rules, fixtures, league structures, and the very concept of a championship season were forged through their involvement.

 This artwork celebrates Everton’s status not simply as early participants, but as founders—a club whose identity and legacy are inseparable from the origins of league football itself. It represents a moment when the framework of the modern game was set in place, with Everton firmly established at its heart.