Abercorn were founder members of the Scottish Football League, but eventually could not compete with local rivals St Mirren.

was formed on 10 November 1877 with an initial membership of 200, a few months after St Mirren had been formed in the town with their first game been played in December against the 79th Highland Reserve Volunteers with the match ending in a 1–1 draw with Robert Fulton the president of the club getting the first goal and gate receipts of £3.

[4] At the meeting these clubs became the founder members of Renfrewshire County Football Association and a cup was purchased a year later from Summerton Jewellers of Paisley.

In 1890 the club became founder members of the Scottish Football League,[5] alongside Cambuslang, Celtic, Cowlairs, Dumbarton, Heart of Midlothian, Rangers, Renton, Saint Mirren, Third Lanark and Vale of Leven.

[3] They played in the Western League from 1915–16 until 1919–20, when their lease on their New Ralston ground was ended at the behest of the local town council.

[3] Despite not being entered in any league competition they played one game in season 1920–21 with effectively a scratch team in a Scottish Cup defeat away to Vale of Leven.

Abercorn retained membership of the Scottish Football Association until 29 March 1922, when they were disbarred for failing to secure their own private home ground.