8 September 1888 - And We're Off!

On 8 September 1888, Bolton's Kenny Davenport scored the Football League's first goal when he found the net in the second minute of their opening-day match against Derby County.

It was one of five matches played on opening day of the League's first season. And despite Davenport's heroics (he later scored a second goal), Bolton fell 6-3 in what turned out to be the highest-scoring match of the day. Elsewhere, Everton beat Accrington 2-1, Preston North End beat Burnley 5-2, Stoke lost 0-2 to West Brom, and Wolverhampton drew with 1-1 Aston Villa. 

For a while, people believed that Villa's Gershom Cox got the League's first goal when he found his own net in the 30th minute, but subsequent research into the start times for the various matches gave the honor to Davenport.