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The Dawn of Professional Football

Episode 9 of 30

Clare Balding tells the story of how football went from an amateur pastime to big business, and it all started in the Lancashire mill town of Preston.

Clare Balding tells the story of how football went from an amateur pastime to big business and it all started in the Lancashire mill town of Preston. In the season of 1888-89 The Invincibles, as the Preston team were known, were unbeaten in the League and the FA cup, becoming football's first double winners. As Professor Matthew Taylor of De Montfort University explains, their success was down to the vision of one man, their manager, William Suddell, a local mill manager. Clare visits Deepdale, Preston's ground to find out how Suddell became the 'father' of professional football.

Readers, James Lailey and Sean Baker
Producer: Sara Conkey.

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15 minutes

Last on

Fri 22 Jun 2018 02:15

Broadcasts

  • Thu 9 Feb 2012 13:45
  • Thu 10 Jul 2014 14:15
  • Fri 11 Jul 2014 00:15
  • Thu 4 Aug 2016 14:15
  • Fri 5 Aug 2016 02:15
  • Thu 21 Jun 2018 14:15
  • Fri 22 Jun 2018 02:15

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