It all started when theological students from Oxford and Cambridge Universities whilst studying at Auckland Castle, home of the Bishop of Durham, formed a team known as Bishop Auckland Church Institute in 1882.
A later dispute caused a breakaway team called Auckland Town to be formed in 1886/87, and it was from this upheaval that Bishop Auckland Football Club was eventually born.
Eight days after its formation, the club chose royal blue with white facings and subsequently the light and blue colours of the original Church Institute representing the colours of Oxbridge.
Auckland Town were founder members of the Northern League in 1889 but left after its first season before returning as Bishop Auckland in 1893.
Between 1893 and 1988, the club won the league championship a record 19 times.
The first championship was claimed in 1898/99 with the club going unbeaten in their league campaign, winning nine and drawing seven of their sixteen league matches.