15 October 1887 - Preston Cooks Up A Double Baker's Dozen

On 15 October 1887, Preston North End delivered the biggest beating in English football history, crushing Hyde FC 26-0 in the FA Cup.

Although they had been playing football for only nine years, Preston had already established themselves as a rising power, reaching the FA Cup semifinals the previous season. When the returned to the tournament in the 1887-88 season, they met Hyde at Deepdale in the first round and proceeded to win 26-0. It remains the biggest margin of victory in English football (but still behind the British record, set by Arbroath's 36-0 Scottish Cup win over Bon Accord in 1885).

Preston advanced all the way to the final before losing to West Brom, but won the tournament the following season as part of the first English FA Cup and league Double. They repeated as league champions in 1990 and finished as runners-up in 1991, 1992, and 1993.