Nick Ross played for Heart of Midlothian in his hometown of Edinburgh . He led this team as captain at the age of only 20 . This was followed by an offer from William Sudell , who was not only club secretary at the English club Preston North End , but was also able to offer potential players a job as an entrepreneur. Ross, who found a job as a roofer , joined the early professional football club in the north-west of England and, as captain in defense, would make a name for himself as one of the best defensive players in English football. Above all, his good game overview and his ability to “read a game” made him an above-average soccer player of his time. In 1888 he was finally with his team in the FA Cup final, but lost there despite superiority with 1: 2 against West Bromwich Albion . For a supposedly weekly payment of 10 pounds, Everton subsequently secured the services of Nick Ross. This salary was well above the average for football players at the time, but as a result of the move, Ross, unlike his brother Jimmy, missed the double of the English championship and FA Cup of his old club.
After just one season, Nick Ross returned to Preston. He played from then on as a striker and helped that the "Lilywhites" in 1890 could defend the league title. Health problems brought his career to a quick end in 1893, and Nick Ross died of tuberculosis just a year later .
