aston villa director william mcgregor created the (english) football league in 1888. the biggest clubs were the ones who were in support of professionalism. the twelve first clubs were six from lancashire (accrington, blackburn rovers, burnley, bolton wanderers, everton and preston north end) and six from the midlands (aston villa, derby county, notts county, stoke, west bromwich albion and wolverhampton wanderers).