Everton’s Carabao Cup trip to Preston North End on Wednesday revives one of English football’s oldest fixtures – and takes the Blues back to Deepdale for the first time in a competitive match since 1961.
Everton and Preston were two of the 12 founder members of the Football League in 1888 and faced each other regularly during the early decades of league football.
Preston won both meetings in that inaugural season, beating Everton 3-0 at Deepdale and 2-0 on Merseyside.
The clubs would remain familiar opponents for much of the next 70 years.
That changed after the 1960/61 season.
Everton return to Deepdale after 65 years
The last competitive meeting between the sides at Deepdale came on 25 February 1961, when Preston won 1-0 in the First Division.
North End were relegated at the end of that season and have not played in the top flight since.
It explains why a fixture once seen regularly has become such a rarity.
There were some memorable results before the meetings stopped.
Preston won 4-0 at Goodison in August 1955 and recorded successive 4-1 away victories in 1957 and 1958.
Everton had their moments too, winning 4-2 at Goodison in March 1958 and 4-0 there in February 1960.
Their final league meeting was that Preston victory at Deepdale the following year.
Everton won the last two meetings
It took almost 39 years for the clubs to meet again.
Walter Smith’s Everton welcomed Preston to Goodison in the FA Cup fifth round in January 2000.
David Unsworth broke the deadlock after 64 minutes before substitute Joe-Max Moore scored in the final minute to complete a 2-0 victory in front of 37,486 supporters.
Everton went on to reach the quarter-finals that season.
The clubs met again in October 2004, this time in the League Cup.
David Moyes was then Everton manager, little more than two years after leaving Preston for Goodison Park.
Lee Carsley put Everton ahead with a free-kick before being sent off, with Marcus Bent scoring late on to secure another 2-0 victory.
That remains the most recent competitive meeting between the clubs.
Everton and Preston head-to-head
The accepted statistical record used by 11v11 and Soccerbase gives Everton a narrow historical advantage.
Competition Everton wins Draws Preston wins
League 33 25 30
FA Cup 4 3 3
League Cup 1 0 0
Total 38 28 33
There is a historical footnote to those figures.
The totals include an FA Cup meeting in November 1887 which Preston won 1-0 but which was later declared void because North End had fielded professional players.
That means historical databases differ over whether Wednesday’s game should be regarded as the 99th or 100th competitive meeting.
What is not in dispute is how far back the fixture goes.
Everton and Preston were there at the beginning of league football in England. Preston became the original Invincibles by going unbeaten through the first Football League season in 1888/89, while Everton succeeded them as champions two years later.
Now, 65 years after Everton last visited Deepdale for a competitive game, one of English football’s oldest fixtures is back there again.
For David Moyes, who began his managerial career with Preston before moving to Everton in 2002, the return carries another layer of history.
Everton predicted XI vs Preston as Moyes prepares to rotate in Carabao Cup
Everton predicted XI vs Preston as Moyes prepares to rotate in Carabao Cup
Harrison Armstrong stakes his claim in Moyes’ midfield
Harrison Armstrong stakes his claim in Moyes’ midfield