Founded in 1870, the club was one of the first successful football teams from the North of England, reaching the semi-finals of the F.A Cup, and football league members for almost ten years. AFC Darwen had some mixed results; one of which resulted in the defeat to Pickering Town in the FA Vase, another blow to the club going out of both the FA Cup and the FA Vase at the first attempt.

As soon as we get the introduction that Kinnaird’s Old Etonians are to play Darwen FC in the FA Cup quarter-final, we cut to the grim north. They made the semi-finals of the 1880-81 FA World Cup, losing 4-1 to the Old Carthusians. He played as a guest for Blackburn Rovers FC in an FA Cup game, in 1885; He was later attached to Chorley FC. Darwen FC was a small football team from Darwen, Lancashire. The series includes the dramatic 1879 FA Cup quarter-final between upper class team Old Etonians and their working class opponents from Lancashire, Darwen FC as they battled to an incredible 5-5 draw. Darwen FC played a key role in the early days of football, alongside local rivals Blackburn Rovers. They made the semi-finals of the 1880-81 FA World Cup, losing 4-1 to the Old Carthusians. In reality, Suter went on to win the FA Cup with Blackburn in 1885 and 1886. In 1891 Darwen were elected to the Football League as it was expanded to 14 teams. Darwen was the first club from the north of England to achieve any success in the FA Cup, reaching the quarter finals in 1879. Started his first spell with Darwen FC, before joining Great Lever FC in 1883 as a professional.

Odion Ighalo ruined Wayne Rooney's hopes of leading Derby to an FA Cup upset against Manchester United as the Nigeria striker's double sealed a 3-0 win in the fifth round on Thursday.... more » 05.03.2020 13:34 First FA Cup giantkillers Darwen may have been underdogs, but also opened the door to professionalism My grandmother lived at Bromley Cross, near Bolton, and … With all FA Cup finals matches being played in London, Darwen had to head back south for the replay which was again a draw, finishing 2-2.

The real Darwen FC existed as a Football League member from 1870 until 1899. He was a leading player of the day. Two years later, in 1881, Darwen went one better and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Fergus Suter and Jimmy Love arriving in Darwen, with mill owner James Walsh tempting the pair across the border from Partick FC with a secret salary. The real Darwen FC existed as a Football League member from 1870 until 1899. Their opponents in the 1879 FA Cup Quarter finals are Darwen FC, a working class factory team. James Walsh, the owner of Darwen FC and the associated mill decides to secretly pay two Scottish players, Fergus "Fergie" Suter and James "Jimmy" Love to join his team in a bid to secure the FA Cup (which at the time is exclusively for amateurs). Darwen went onto become part of the Lancashire League in 1900 and remained as a regional team. Rostron rejoined Darwen FC in 1884. It was obvious that it would be another long season and AFC Darwen would …