The first recorded activity for the club was at the end of the 1896–97 season, under the name Morrisonian F.C., the name taken from Morrison's School in Crieff.[3] Indeed, the club was originally solely for pupils and ex-pupils, although the restriction was subsequently abandoned.[4]
The club sought to join the Perthshire Association for the 1897–98 season, by now called Crieff Morrisonians, but the application was rejected.[5]
The club's greatest achievements were in winning the Perthshire League in 1908–09 and 1910–11, although the competition in the era scarcely had more than half-a-dozen entrants.
The club reached the final of the Perthshire Cup four times, losing on every occasion. Its closest finals were in 1909–10, losing 2–1 against Dunblane after conceding a last-minute winner via a freak deflection,[8] and 1919–20 losing 3–2 to Blairgowrie Amateurs F.C.;[9] the loss of several players to the junior ranks post-war had cost the team many of its best.[10]
Perhaps the club's finest result was a 4–2 win over St Johnstone en route to the 1909–10 County Cup final, although the Saints turned up two men short.[11] The club did pick up the Consolation Cup in 1911–12, with a 3–0 win at Vale of Atholl F.C. in the final.[12] The second XI also won the Perthshire 2nd XI Cup in 1903–04 and 1904–05, the second year by beating St Johnstone 9–3 in the final, Harry Paul - then still a schoolboy at the academy - being particularly praised for his centre-forward play.[13] During the match, MacPhail tore his shorts, and, because he lived close to the ground, ran home to change into long trousers.[14]
The club became a limited liability company in May 1914, in order to put the club on a more professional footing, and to clear accumulated debts; the plan was to join the Central Football League,[15] but the timing was unfortunate, as World War 1 put most football competitions in abeyance - indeed the club shut down operations entirely for the duration.[16]
1920–21 proved to be the club's final season. The Sonians' final appearance in the Scottish Cup ended in ignominy; after a walkover in the first round of the Qualifying Cup, the club scratched to Stenhousemuir F.C. in the second, in return for a £20 "bait".[17] The club also scratched from the Perthshire Cup in the semi-final in 1920–21 when drawn to play St Johnstone, and, although it entered the same competition for 1921–22, the club was wound up in March 1921.[18]
