The club was based in Runcorn, an industrial town and cargo port in Cheshire, England, on the southern bank of the River Mersey opposite Widnes.

[1] In March 1889, Runcorn, at the time Cheshire champions, played the touring New Zealand Maoris team before a crowd of about 9,000 at Irwell Lane Enclosure.

On 27 August 1895 an emergency meeting of nine Lancashire clubs agreed to support their Yorkshire counterparts if they decided to break away.

Two days later on the 29 August, the representatives of these 21 clubs (by this time, Stockport had joined the others, but their representative, being unable to attend, had telegraphed the meeting requesting his club’s admission to the new organisation) met in The George Hotel, Huddersfield in the West Riding of Yorkshire, a setting which was to become famous (or infamous) in the world of rugby.

A further meeting was held several days later, to formalise the agreement, at which Runcorn applied to join the Northern Union, and was admitted, becoming the twenty-second member in the inaugural season's league The first Northern Union season (1895–96) started on Saturday, 7 September, and Runcorn’s first match was a home game against Widnes which they won, 15–4.

For the following five seasons (1896–97 to 1900–01 inclusive), the two counties were kept apart, each having their own Senior Competition; this after comments or complaints from several clubs about the expenses in travelling long(ish) distances.

The following season (1905–06) one single division operated, a format which would continue for many years, thus removing the possibility of Runcorn being relegated.

Several clubs withdrew for the duration, and some later re-joined; but those competing did so on a very limited scale, all organising their own fixtures, usually against local rivals to cut down on the travelling.

[3] With the full resumption of the league competition in 1919–20 Warrington signed many of the players from the recently disbanded Runcorn club.

Coincidentally, Huyton Rugby League Club, seeking to relocate from their ground in Liverpool, moved to Canal Street under a ground sharing agreement with Runcorn F C, changing their name to Runcorn Highfield RLFC, from season 1985–86 to 1989–90 inclusive At the end of the 1999–2000 season, the football club, struggling with massive debts and dwindling attendances, sold the ground and moved to Stobart Stadium, home of Widnes Vikings Rugby League Club, for several years before finally closing after season 2005–06.