Rhyl Football Club was originally formed on 25 September 1878, following a meeting held at Rhyl Town Hall. At a follow-up meeting a week later, it was decided that the club would play at a field adjacent to the Winter Gardens, and that the club colours would be all black with a white skull and crossbones on the chest. The first club captain was W. C. Langley. The club played in the 1878 Welsh Cup, but lost 1–0 in the First Round against Friars School, Bangor. There were several clubs in Rhyl at the time, one of these being Rhyl Grosvenor FC, who played a floodlit match against Rhyl FC in February 1879. Rhyl Grosvenor amalgamated with Rhyl FC in September 1879, prior to the start of the 1879–80 season.