The teams line up before a charity match between Rovers and Darwen in the late eighties at the Anchor Ground, the modern home of Darwen FC. A century before the sides mixed a detestation of each other with the local wish for bragging rights to create a bitter rivalry. © Cottontown

Darwen continue today in the North West Counties League. Although they were lucky enough to have a good side and decent following at the beginning of professional football they were unlucky enough to be too close to Blackburn Rovers to survive as a league club. In the other direction, Bolton chipped away at their support. However, they still played an important part in the growth of professional football and remain today as a football club, unlike other rivals of the period such as Blackburn Park Road, Accrington (the original league club), Turton, Witton and Blackburn Olympic, all of whom simply folded or gave up. They are also still in the record books, though mainly for what was inflicted upon them rather than what they achieved themselves.

Darwen results against Blackburn Rovers in major competitions.

1879/80 – FA CUP R2 – Blackburn Rovers 3 Darwen 1
1881/82 – FA CUP R4 - Blackburn Rovers 5 Darwen 1
1882/83 – FA CUP R2 – Darwen 1 Blackburn Rovers 0
1887/88 – FA CUP R5 – Darwen 0 Blackburn Rovers 3

1891/92 – DIVISION ONE – Blackburn Rovers 4 Darwen 0
1891/92 – DIVISION ONE – Darwen 3 Blackburn Rovers 5
1893/94 – DIVISION ONE – Blackburn Rovers 4 Darwen 1
1893/94 – DIVISION ONE – Darwen 2 Blackburn Rovers 3