However, whereas Notts had a clean slate, and Derbyshire only had works or school sides with which to compete, by 1887 the Birmingham football scene was fully mature, with Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham St George's, and Small Heath Alliance all being professional clubs with strong fanbases.

Consequently, despite the resources of the cricket club, County failed to gain a foothold, with "good gates" being elusive,[3] and the media being "always asserted that the venture was a hopeless one".

[5] The first competitive game the club played was in the Birmingham Senior Cup in 1887–88, losing 11–0 at home to Aston Villa, albeit in front of 5,000 spectators.

[12] It had recruited heavily, with the new Warwickshire Association's representative side to face Manchester including three County players, plus five from Small Heath and three from Birmingham St George's,[13] and winger Gray selected for the much more prestigious Birmingham and District side at the end of the season.

The competition however was rather low-key, with only 10 entries, and County, Small Heath, and St George's all exempted to the semi-final stage.

At the start of the 1890–91 season, both left for Aston Villa, on the basis that the contracts did not force them to play football for County.