By the following season the Rovers had a membership of 183, making it the second-biggest club in Renfrewshire, behind only St Mirren.

[9] The Rovers let a two goal lead slip to draw 2–2, and after the match "a disgraceful scene took place" as the Pollok referee and players were "mobbed by both spectators and players of the Rover's [sic] club, and at last had to take refuge in the Houston railway station.

In the first round, Rovers beat Lyle Athletic 4–2 away, and Greenock Northern 6–1 at home.

In a sign of how Paisley had overtaken Johnstone in footballing terms, Rovers lost in front of 2,000 spectators at Abercorn 7–0 in the third round.

[13] After Athletic folded in 1884, Rovers still boasted 200 members, more than double that of Johnstone's total, and the same as Abercorn.

[17] The merger may not have received unanimous support, as the Johnstone Harp club was founded in 1886; many of the figures involved in the Rovers had Irish roots.