OTD E0122 — 02 Mar 1888: The Letter That Invented League Football — William McGregor and the Football League

02 Mar 1888: Aston Villa director William McGregor writes a letter proposing a “combination” of top clubs playing home-and-away fixtures each season. It’s the practical fix to a chaotic pre-league era of friendlies, cancellations, and FA Cup disruption — and it becomes the invention of the Football League. In this episode: the letter (read verbatim), the Anderton’s Hotel meeting, the 12 founders, the birth of the league table — and the direct line to today’s Premier League and the global league pyramid.Email: [email protected]