In the early uptake of football in the west of Scotland, many clubs were formed in conjunction with the practice of cricket – the first-ever international football match had been played at Hamilton Crescentcricket ground in Partick in 1872. Partick F.C. were formed for enthusiasts of both sports on 23 March 1875, and developed their basic grounds during that summer. The Scottish Football League would not be formed for some years, but Partick immediately applied for membership of the Scottish Football Association and entered the Scottish Cup from the 1875–76 season. Through connections of players including William Kirkham, matches were organised between Partick and Lancashire teams Darwen and Blackburn Rovers – among the earliest cross-border fixtures – with the Scottish team winning most of them, some by large margins. Although officially amateur, the English clubs enticed some of Partick's players south to play for them, including Jimmy Love and Fergie Suter, now recognised as the first professional footballers, and William Struthers who became one of the first managers of Bolton Wanderers. Partick had little impact on the Scottish Cup, and found an emerging local rival in the form of Partick Thistle who also moved to Whiteinch in 1880. Partick won their first meeting that year at Inchview by a 5–1 scoreline, but Thistle also began to compete in the Scottish Cup, won the next meetings 5–2 and 3–1, continued that run the following year and increased their popularity among locals after moving nearer to the heart of the burgh at Muir Park in 1883. That year, both clubs joined the newly formed Glasgow Football Association. In summer 1885, it was announced that Partick F.C. had gone defunct and Partick Thistle would be moving in as tenants at Inchview; they continued to play there until 1897. The Partick F.C. colours of red, yellow and black were too eventually adopted by Thistle around 1930, via the acquisition of a set of kits from the West of Scotland rugby club, also originally from Partick and formed from a local cricket club in the 1870s.
