The Football League and the National Football Museum (NFM) are to mark the 125th Anniversary of the world's original league football competition with a major new exhibition featuring some of professional football's most iconic and historic items.

The exhibition, which will be free to all visitors, will run from September 2013 to April 2014, the same duration as The Football League's inaugural season (1888/89) and fill a dedicated exhibition space in the museum's stunning new Manchester home.

Manchester played a notable role in the formation of The Football League, with today (April 17th) marking the 125th anniversary of the meeting of founder members at the city's Royal Hotel - just 500m from where the National Football Museum is now located. At that meeting, clubs agreed to call their new competition 'The Football League' with the first season kicking-off on September 8th 1888.

Having begun sourcing items of historical interest from clubs, its own archives and those of the National Football Museum, The Football League is also asking supporters to play their part in telling the story of 125 years of football history.

The Football League's Head of Communications, John Nagle, said: "Across the country there will be items of historical interest that have pride of place in supporters' homes or are just gathering dust in their lofts.

"If it's part of our competition's history we'd love to know about it, so that we can put it on display for football supporters everywhere to enjoy."

Anyone that would like to put forward an item of historical significance for the exhibition are asked to email details to , including, where possible, an image and contact details.