Furness Vale Rovers F.C.

The club's first reported match was in the 1883-84 season, against regular opponents Greenheys of Manchester.[2] In 1884-85, the club entered the Cheshire Challenge Cup, beating the Tranmere club[3] 1-0 in the first round,[4] but losing in the second to Oughtrington Park F.C.[5]

The Rovers moved to a new ground in the 1885-86 season,[6] but none of the newspapers report on its, or the previous ground's, location; given the size of Furness Vale (with a population of less than 1,000), giving the fixture location as simply "Furness Vale" was enough. The 1885 Charles Alcock annual gives the location as adjoining "150 Bothones Hill".[7] Club captain John Murray was selected in January as a reserve for the Cheshire Football Association representative side in a match against the Derbyshire Football Association.[8]

In 1886-87, the club entered the FA Cup; this was a highly optimistic move, as the Rovers had not made any impact in the local competitions, and was not on the friendlies schedule of any of the large local clubs, although on 28 November 1885 the club had lost 2-0 at Newton Heath LYR, who would become Manchester United.[9] Nevertheless, entering the Cup did give the club a "glamour" fixture, against perennial Cheshire champions Northwich Victoria. The club lost 10-0 but had the consolation of playing before a large crowd.[10] The club's true status was shown by a second round exit in the Cheshire Cup to a club from the village of Rainow; the club protested to no avail.[11]

The club's final reported match, like its first, was against Greenheys; like the first match it was a draw.[12] There is no record of the club playing in the 1887-88 season or afterwards, although it still seems to have been a member of the FA for 1887-88.[13]

The club's colours were black and scarlet.[14]