Nick Ross (footballer, born 1863)

Nicholas John "Nick" Ross (2 January 1863 in Edinburgh – 1894) was a Scottish footballer.

He played for, and captained, Heart of Midlothian in the early stages of his football career before being persuaded to join Preston North End by club secretary William Sudell who also provided him with a job as a slater.

Ross was made captain of Preston and over the next few years earned a reputation as one of the best defenders in English football. He featured in the 1888 FA Cup Final where Preston were beaten 2–1 by West Bromwich Albion. He was transferred to Everton in 1888 where he was reportedly paid £10 per month — a significantly above-average wage for a footballer at the time.

He returned to Preston after just one season with Everton, during which time Preston won both the League Championship and the FA Cup. During his second spell with the club he was converted to a striker and helped the club win the 1889–90 League Championship, the second in a row. Health problems forced him to retire from football 1893 and he died a year later from Tuberculosis.

His younger brother, Jimmy, was also a noted footballer for Preston, part of "The Invincibles", and the league top scorer for the 1890–91 season.