The idea came from five Glaswegian clubs - Clyde, Linthouse, Thistle, Partick Thistle, and Northern[1] - and other clubs from around the region were invited, the initial membership eventually including Airdrieonians, Ayr, East Stirlingshire, Morton, Kilmarnock, King's Park, Port Glasgow Athletic, and St Bernard's, although Clyde dropped out.
The league, bolstered by the inclusion of a number of clubs from the Scottish Football Federation, continued for four more years by recruiting new members.
One candidate club, Gaelic of Coatbridge, was advised to improve the quality of its pitch to gain admission in 1895,[4] but lost its ground entirely and was wound up.
[8] In 1939 the Scottish Alliance was re-formed by Babcock & Wilcox, Galston, Girvan Athletic, Nithsdale Wanderers, Queen's Park Strollers, Stranraer and Vale of Leven but disbanded after only a couple of games because of World War II.
In 1956–57, six reserve sides formed a new Alliance – Dumbarton, St Johnstone, Clyde, Dundee United, Third Lanark, and Queen's Park Victoria XI.