The impetus for a modern association club came from the local nobility, with the Honourables Eric and Herbert Rollo, Percy Parminter (the son of Lord Rollo's private chaplain), and other local notables forming a club for the younger men in the village.

[5] The club took its name from the Rollo family's Duncrub Park estate and house next to which the village was situated.

The club's first tie was at Fair City Athletic in Perth, and ended 5–3 to the home side, with Duncrub being outclassed, but kept in the game thanks to "two of the softest goals to be scored that have been witnessed on Balhousie Park".

It won through to the first round proper once - in 1896–97, thanks to a 6–0 win over Vale of Atholl (in a replay at Pitlochry,[8] after the original home tie ended 2–2),[9] 7–2 away to Huntingtower, and a bye.

The club was drawn at home to Hibernian, and arranged to host the tie in at Fair City's Balhousie Park.

[15] Duncrub did not win in the competition again until 1904[16] and only ever won three other ties in the tournament, all against the Black Watch side.