There are references to a Portsmouth Rovers as early as 1887,[1] although this particular club's first competitive football came in the 1907–08 season.

broke into a chicken coop, strangled 21 fowl, and was found unconscious at home, with one cooking in a pot; being of good character, he was bound over for 12 months.

[3] The team spent four years in the second division of the Lancashire Combination between 1911 and 1915, but consistently finished near the foot of the table.

Portsmouth Rovers participated in the Cup for the final time on 4 September 1926, but lost to Walsden United in the extra preliminary round by a single goal.

[6] Several notable footballers began their careers with Portsmouth Rovers; goalkeeper Jerry Dawson went on to become an England international,[7] while local full-back Clem Rigg played over 250 professional matches for Nelson.