The club was founded in 1877 by N. L. "Pa" Jackson under the name of "Finchley Petrels Football Club". The club was renamed "Finchley FC" after its first season. In 1902 the club joined Division Two of the London League, and after finishing fourth in 1903–04, they were promoted to Division One. League reorganisation saw them placed in Division One B for the 1909–10 season, after which they left the league. They returned to Division One for the 1910–11 season, but left in 1912 to become founder members of the Athenian League.