Crook Town Football Club was formed in 1889 by a merger of Crook and Crook Excelsior. They initially only played friendly and cup matches until Crook Cricket Club took over the club in 1894. A successful application was then made to join the Bishop Auckland and District League, with the club's first league match played on 15 August 1894, a 1–1 draw with Shildon United. They were league runners-up in 1895–96, and at the end of the season they joined the Northern League. In 1897–98 the league gained a second division, with Crook becoming members of Division One. They finished bottom of the division and were due to take part in promotion/relegation play-off matches. However, an outbreak of smallpox in the Middlesbrough area had prevented the club finishing their league fixtures. The club refused to enter the play-offs, but as two of the clubs that were supposed to play in the play-offs were also from the Middlesbrough area, the matches were called off and there was no promotion or relegation. They finished bottom of Division One the following season, but there was no relegation. In 1900–01 the club won the FA Amateur Cup, defeating King's Lynn 3–0 in a replay at Ipswich after a 1–1 draw at Dovercourt in Essex.