[4] The club's earliest prominence came when it reached the semi-final of the Durham Senior Cup in 1886–87 and was only narrowly beaten by Sunderland at the latter's Newcastle Road ground; captain Dobson gave the village side a first-minute lead, and, after going 3–1 down, Whitburn brought the score back to 3–3, and had a goal disallowed for offside, before two late goals - one a deflection - put the favourites into the final.

[5] The next season, the club entered the FA Cup for the first time, and was drawn at home to Middlesbrough.

in a match that was level at 4–4 after 90 minutes, but the Railwaymen ran riot in extra-time (available as an option to clubs at the time).

[7] As professionalism dominated, Whitburn stayed resolutely amateur,[8] but had some success on a local level.

[10] The club thereupon became one of the founder members of the Northern Football Alliance in July 1890,[11] but after finishing in the bottom two in 1892–93[12] it was not re-elected.