United first played in the FA Cup in season 1905/06, starting in the 2nd Qualifying Round at home to Earlestown, drawing 1-1 and losing the replay 0-3.
 In the following season United recorded their first win, against  Sale Holmefield (Manchester League), Sale took the lead in 25 minutes through Dickens, with McKenzie equalising late on in second half for United.
Skem Team: Osbaldeston, Rimmer, Grimshaw, McKenzie, Brown, Martin, Harrison, Hennefer, Ramsell, Welsh and Forshaw.
No details known of the replay. That Skem won 2-0
 In the 1st Round we travelled to  Atherton and lost 2-0  the United team was: Rimmer (may have been the full back in Sale game), Ditchfield, Grimshaw, McKenzie, Brown, Martin, Harrison, Hennerfer, Roche, Baker and Openshaw.

Our best performance in those earlier years was the 1923-24 season where we dispatched Youlgrave and New Mills both with a 2-1 scoreline, Garston Gasworks and Altrincham were similarly dispatched and United reached the 4^th Qual Round, one step away from the “Big Boys” We were drawn at Home to Rochdale but played the game at Spotland, losing by 4 goals to nil.

In 47-48 we beat Stoneycroft 8-0 before going out to Prescot Cables, Three years later we recorded our highest ever win defeating Crossens 12-0 following this up with wins against  Bangor C and Prescot before going out to Burscough It was a good time for the club as the following season 51-52 wins against Ashton U, Rossendale and Darwen brought Nelson to “Top O’Lane in the 4^th Q Round, were a then record crowd of  4,622 saw the visitors going away with a 3-0 victory.

1905-06	2 Q	EARLESTOWN	H  1-1
	rep	EARLESTOWN	A  0-3
1906-07	PREL	SALE HOLMFIELD	H  1-1
	rep	SALE HOLMFIELD	A  2-0
	1 Q	ATHERTON	A  0-1
1914-15	PREL	EGREMONT	A  4-3
	1Q	WREXHAM	A  0-1
1920-21	PREL	NELSON	A  1-4
1921-22	1Q	LEYLAND	A  0-2
1922-23	PREL	OLD XAVARIANS	A  3-1
	1Q	GARSTON GASWORKS	A  6-4
	2 Q	HURST	H  2-3
1923-24	PREL	YOULGRAVE	H  2-1
	1Q	NEW MILLS	H  1-1
	rep	NEW MILLS	A  2-1
	2Q	GARSTON GASWORKS	A  3-2
	3Q	ALTRINCHAM	H  1-0
	4Q	ROCHDALE	H  0-4
		Skem were drawn at Home but played the game at Rochdale
1924-25	1Q	BURSCOUGH RANGERS	H  0-0
	rep	BURSCOUGH RANGERS	A  0-5
1925-26	EXT PRE	CHORLEY	H  1-4
1926-27	EXT PRE	HORWICH CENTRAL	H  4-1
	PRE	CLITHEROE	H  2-1
	1Q	CHORLEY	A  0-4
1927-28	PRE	BURSCOUGH RANGERS	A  1-4
		Burscough disqualified
	1Q	HORWICH RMI	A  0-3
1928-29	PRE	HORWICH CENTRAL	H  0-4
1929-30	PRE	BRIGHTMET UNITED	A  2-4
1930-31	1Q	DARWEN	H  4-2
	2Q	CHORLEY	H  1-1
	rep	CHORLEY	A  2-2
	rep	CHORLEY	A  2-5
1931-32	PRE	LYTHAM	H  1-2
1932-33	PRE	CROSSENS	A  2-1
	1Q	MORECAMBE	H  2-2
	rep	MORECAMBE	A  3-4
1933-34	PRE	LEYLAND MOTORS	A  0-3
1934-35	PRE	ROSSENDALE	H  3-2
	1Q	LEYLAND MOTORS	H  2-1
	2Q	DICK KERRS	A  0-0
	rep	DICK KERRS	H  0-2
1935-36	1Q	DICK KERRS	H  1-2
1936-37	PRE	MORECAMBE	H  2-2
	rep	MORECAMBE	A  0-2
1937-38	1Q	LEYLAND	H  1-1
	rep	LEYLAND	A  3-7
1938-39	PRE	ROSSENDALE	H  3-0
	1Q	HORWICH RMI	A  5-4