Rhyl FC became founder members of the Welsh League, formed in 1890, but withdrew the following year. By that point, the club colours were red and black. They reformed as Rhyl Athletic in November 1892 and became founder members of the North Wales Coast League, winning the title in 1894–95. Rhyl Amateur joined forces with Rhyl Town in May 1898 and switched to the Anglo-Welsh competition known as The Combination. Despite financial crises, they remained in membership until the league disbanded at the end of the 1910–11 season. Under the name of Rhyl United, they rejoined the North Wales Coast League, but following the First World War, they moved to the North Wales Alliance, before becoming founder members of the Welsh National League (North) in 1921. Rhyl won the title in 1925–26 and became a limited company in 1928 as Rhyl Athletic. In 1929, Rhyl applied to join the Football League but York City became the only non-league team elected to the Third Division North. With North Wales football in turmoil in the early 1930s, Rhyl sought to realise their ambitions elsewhere. Another unsuccessful application to the Football League was made in 1932 before joining the Birmingham and District League. Seeking relief from the onerous travelling to the Birmingham area, Rhyl Athletic successfully applied to join the Cheshire County League in 1936, at the same time as changing their name back to Rhyl, and began one of the most successful chapters in the club's history.