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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Guardian sport

Who was the first footballer to score on Christmas Day?

Father Christmas with a football
Football on Christmas Day was once a regular part of the calendar. Photograph: D-Keine/Getty Images

“Who was the first player to score on Christmas Day?” asks Sarah Tomlinson.

For a long time, matches on Christmas Day were a regular part of the English Football League calendar. The first was played on 25 December 1889, when the defending champions Preston beat Aston Villa 3-2 in an, ahem, ding-dong match. The opening goal was scored after six minutes by Preston’s Scottish striker Nick Ross, which makes him the first man to score in the Football League on Christmas Day.

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