| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Holmes | ||
| Date of birth | 23 June 1867 | ||
| Place of birth | Preston, Lancashire, England | ||
| Date of death | 17 November 1955 (aged 88) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1888–1902 | Preston North End | 300 | (1) |
| National team | |||
| 1892–1895 | England | 7 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Bob Holmes (23 June 1867 – 17 November 1955) was a professional footballer, who was a member of the famous 'invincibles' of Preston North End.
Holmes played in the victorious 1889 F A Cup winning side which also completed the League and cup double that year. Holmes went on to become known as the 'last of the invincibles' when he was the only surviving member of the 1889 cup final team by the time Preston reached the 1954 cup final[1]. He was not however the last surviving member of the double winning side as bit part player Jack Edwards, who made four league appearances but did not feature in the cup final was also still alive in 1954.
Holmes died the following year, aged 88, leaving Edwards to outlive him by six years, thus ending the last living link with the first ever league champions.[2]