Liverpool FC

When the Football League was founded in 1888, Anfield was one of the League's original grounds. On September 8th of that year - the very first Saturday of League football - Anfield welcomed as visitors Accrington to play not against the 'Reds', but the 'Blues' of Everton Football Club.

The blue and white quartered shirts of Everton FC made quite a name for themselves at Anfield winning the League Championship in 1891, but this is to run ahead slightly. Both teams owe their existence to a Reverend Chambers of the then newly constructed and now, totally demolished, church - St Domingo, and to John Houlding - Tory MP and Mayor of Liverpool who ultimately caused Everton FC to leave Anfield and who created Liverpool Football Club.

St Domingo's football team was a strictly amateur affair created amid the belief that young lads could better be kept on the path of religious well-being through a healthy passion for competitive team games. After only a year or so of enthusiastic play in Stanley Park, they renamed themselves Everton Football Club in honour of the location of their founding church.

The St Domingo's team met however not at Church, but the Queen's Head Hotel in Village Street adjacent to "Ye Anciente Everton Toffee House". From this Everton F.C. gained their curious nickname of "The Toffees". In adopting the name Everton, the team ensured that they would permanently struggle to be located with confidence by those from outside of the city and lead to Royalty asking "Tell me, from which part of the country is the city of Everton?" nearly a century later.

The fledgling Everton played in a number of locations but settled in a greenfield site between Anfield Road and Walton Breck Road. So was born one of the great names in world football - Anfield. The team prospered and became financially sound with astute guidance from their President Mr John Houlding. John Houlding was a brewer, local council member and later Mayor of Liverpool.
Despite this he has become a largely forgotten figure in the city, although a bronze plaque outside the Directors' Lounge in Anfield and a fine oil portrait hanging within the Club museum preserve his likeness.

Source: Liverpool FC