The club originates from the Newington area of Belfast and ground shares with NIFL Premiership side Larne.

However, Newington's facilities at their home ground (Muckamore Park, Antrim) failed to meet the required standards to gain promotion to the Amateur League Premier Division.

In 2004–05, Newington reached the quarter-finals of the Steel & Sons Cup, automatically qualifying for the County Antrim Shield; and their first match against senior opposition.

On 14 January 2012 the club managed what the BBC described as "one of the biggest shocks in Irish Cup history" when they defeated Glentoran 1–0 in the fifth round at the east Belfast giant's own ground, The Oval.

Rated 20–1 by bookmakers to win the match, the club triumphed through Neil Quinn's goal and were drawn to face Dungannon Swifts in the sixth round.

They faced Mid-Ulster Football League champions Dollingstown in a two-legged play-off for promotion, and won the tie on the away goals rule after it finished 4–4 on aggregate.

The 2021/22 season saw Newington excel in the Premier Intermediate League, claiming the title and earning a promotion to the NIFL Championship.

[4][5] The club originates in the Newington area of Belfast, although owing to the lack of facilities for junior and intermediate clubs in north Belfast they have played home matches at Muckamore Park in Antrim, at Brantwood FC on Skegoneill Avenue, Richardson Park in Dunmurry, and The Cliff in Larne.