Cowlairs FC was formed in 1876 in the Cowlairs district of north Glasgow. They entered the Scottish FA Cup for the first time in 1880 and in 1886 they played in the English FA Cup.   In 1890 Cowlairs became founder members of the Scottish Football League but they had a catastrophic season finishing  bottom,  losing  four points for fielding ineligible players. Worse was to follow when the authorities inspected the club's accounts and found that alleged illicit payments had been made to players (professionalism was not permitted in Scotland at the time). At the League AGM, Cowlairs failed to be re-elected and their place was taken by Leith Athletic. The following season Cowlairs played only friendly matches and cup ties but in 1892 they joined the Scottish Football Alliance, winning the championship at the first time of asking. An attempt to gain re-admission to the Scottish League failed but instead they found themselves in the new Scottish League Second Division, formed largely of former Alliance teams, in 1893. They finished as runners-up, two points behind champions Hibernian but they were not elected to the First Division. The following season, now facing severe financial problems, they finished rock bottom and were voted out. The club played a few games in the 1895-96 season but, under pressure from their creditors, they closed down before the season ended.