 The ground's record attendance of 26,849 was set for an FA Cup fifth round match against Preston North End on 7 January 1888.Preston won 3–1, and the match was marred by a huge pitch invasion, the first serious incidence of crowd trouble in English football.Later in 1888 Villa were founder members of the Football League, and the first League match was played at Wellington Road on 15 September 1888, with Villa beating Stoke 5–1 in front of 2,000 spectators.