A cluster of changes marked the 1888/89 season across football, especially, due to more immediate issues, English football. After all, the league system was introduced. Consequently, the calendar would be more nationally oriented, thus sharing the main club matches with the FA Challenge Cup. Still without a league system, Scotland had its main tournaments focused on the Scottish Cup, Glasgow Cup and Glasgow Charity Cup. The power among Scottish teams was more varied than in the 1888/89 season in England. Although England had several great teams to compete, it was still notorious that North End had the superiority against the other club sides.

After an exceptional campaign in 1887/88, but marked by a lost final against West Bromwich Albion F.C., Major William Sudell's Preston North End F.C. was almost unanimously named as the best team in the world, largely due to the effectiveness and class of its lines, especially the combination of the forward line.

The team, however, suffered heavy losses during the season. Archie Goodall, the little brother of John Goodall, although played a few matches for North End in 1888/89, went to play for Derby County F.C., while the outstanding Nick Ross changed his ways and went to play for Everton F.C.


John Goodall.

Although losing a footballer like Nicholas J. Ross would be a huge burden for any team, North End remained on top throughout the season, putting on formidable matches that, undoubtedly, reflected their vast superiority against their opponents. It was in the semi-final of the FA Challenge Cup, 16/03/1889, at Bramall Lane, that one of the most iconic matches of the season was played. The exceptional eleven eliminated William Bassett's West Bromwich, thus causing a feeling of revenge for the final lost in 1887/88.

Proud Preston, remaining invincible throughout the tournaments, became champions of the first edition of the First Division and won the FA Challenge Cup for the first time.

SCOTTISH VARIETY.

Queen's Park F.C., which had not won any title in the last season, had started very well in the initial rounds of the Scottish Cup, but did not reach more advanced stages in the tournament. The very early clash against Third Lanark eliminated the Spiders from the main competition. However, the team was competing in parallel in the Glasgow Cup, a tournament in which they had an exceptional campaign, dominating the teams and conquering high scoring results. The first half of 1889 was marked by matches against great teams from England, such as Corinthians, North End and Aston Villa. They even faced Notts County F.C. in a match which reflected the imense superiority of the Scottish side. TheBlack and White Brigade achieved formidable results against their opponents, especially in Birmingham, against the Villains in an impressive final result of 2:6.


01.01.1889  Queen's Park F.C. - Corinthians F.C.           3:2
09.02.1889  Notts County F.C. - Queen's Park F.C.          0:6
22.04.1889  Aston Villa F.C. - Queen's Park F.C.           2:6
27.04.1889  Queen's Park F.C. - Preston North End F.C.     2:1


In general, Queen's Park match record was regarded as the best in United Kingdom.

At the end of the season, Walter Arnott's team played in the last local tournament: The Glasgow Charity Cup. The Spiders eliminated Third Larnark in the semi-final of the tournament, but lost the final against Renton. The Dumbarton side, characterized as the World Champion — due to the match against West Bromwich Albion —, were the most consistent team, alongside Third Lanark A.C., of the domestic season, reaching the semi-final of the Scottish Cup and winning the Glasgow Charity Cup for the fourth consecutive time.

Third Lanark had an outstanding season, winning the Scottish Cup for the first team while eliminating Queen's Park and Renton. Their side was very consistent reaching high levels even against English sides. They won twice against Corinthians F.C. — thrashing them 5:0 on 22/04/1889 — and beat North End for 4:2 on 04/10/1888. Third Lanark's achievements in 1888/89 were reflected in the various call-ups of its players to play for Scotland on 15/04/1889 against Wales. Six of their players were called up to play in Wrexham.


CONCLUSION

North End were widely rated as the best team in England. However, the question of the best Scottish team raised some doubts. After all, there was a direct level of competition, which made it impossible to clearly reflect which team would be highlighted. It's true that Third Lanark won Scotland's premier tournament, eliminating Queen's Park and Renton. The Queen's Park, in turn, eliminated Third Lanark in the Glasgow Charity Cup, but lost to John Campbell's Renton in the tournament final.

In direct matches against the English powerhouse, only Queen's Park and Third Lanark faced North End, both claiming victory against the Deepdale team. However, both matches were played on Scottish soil. It is not known for sure what the outcome would be if North End had control of the field in their own territory.

Even with these issues of direct disputes leaning towards the Scottish sides, North End was considered the strongest team in the world. Their achievements were completely unquestionable.