The club beat Lancefield at Middleton Park in the first round, S. Lyall scoring all 4 goals in a 4–2 win, despite the "great credit" of visiting goalkeeper Boyd, who "used both hands and feet cleverly, and saved his charge repeatedly".

[4] In the second round the club gained its biggest Cup win - 7–0 over City[5] - but in the third round it was brought down to earth by its record defeat, 8–1 against fellow travellers Queen's Park.

The club was still prominent enough in the 1884–85 season to be invited to open Beresford Park, the new ground of Ayr, the home side winning the inaugural match 3–1.

[9] Towards the end of the season, Walter Lamont, a left-winger, became the only Pilgrims player to earn an international cap; Lamont had a dream debut, scoring the first goal in Scotland's 8–2 win over Ireland,[10] but was not capped again.

With the rise of professionalism in England, and south Glasgow being saturated with amateur clubs, the Pilgrims fell away; the club failed to pay its subscription for the 1886–87 season and was therefore struck off the Scottish Football Association member roll.