The Glasgow Second XI Association was formed in the early part of 1891-92, and consisted of seventeen clubs, one of which was the Queen's Park. The club, on the whole, has been fairly successful in winning the cup attached to this competition. Mr. Wilton, secretary of the Rangers, telephoned in December, 1895, asking whether the club would be agreeable to support the proposal to form a Glasgow Reserve Eleven League. The Queen's Park was willing, and resolved to attend any meeting called for the purpose. The Reserve League was formed 13th December, 1895, and consisted of five clubs —Queen's Park, Rangers, Celtic, Heart of Midlothian, and Leith Athletic. The Queen's Park Strollers finished second in the championship in this first season under the new conditions, scoring twelve points out of sixteen, only one point behind the winners. The Reserve League before the following season, 7th July, 1896, was changed to the Scottish Football Combination, with ten clubs, of which the Strollers formed one, Mr. H. Walker, of the Strollers, having been appointed honorary secretary. The Combination, though it went on for a few years, was not a very healthy plant. Celtic withdrew in 1898, and Rangers and Heart of Midlothian in 1899, St. Mirren and Kilbarchan second strings taking the places of the last two. Mr. Stark, Queen's Park Strollers, was appointed treasurer in the latter year. The Strollers left in 1902, on the formation of the Scottish Amateur League, but, owing to the difficulty in obtaining fixtures in the League, resigned from it in 1903, and rejoined the Combination, or Scottish Union, as it was later styled. The majority of the Scottish League clubs had dropped their Reserve Elevens, and this proved a stumbling block to the satisfactory progress of the Combination. Without the support of the senior clubs, its usefulness was gone.

As to the Glasgow Reserve Eleven Association, the Strollers and 3rd Lanark A were the only two clubs left in it, and they agreed to approach the Glasgow Association to take over the Reserve Eleven Association, suggesting that the Strollers and Volunteers play the best of three games, for the winners to have the custody of the cup in perpetuity. In August, 1899, the matter came before the senior body, who were quite agreeable to take over the cup and assets of the Reserves, and conduct the cup competition. The Reserve Association was formally taken over, 18th October, 1899. There was no competition that season, as only three clubs were available, Glasgow University being the third ; but in season 1900-01 four clubs had entered—Strollers, 3rd Lanark A, Partick Thistle A, and Normal Athletic. In the final the Strollers defeated 3rd Lanark A by 1-0, and won the cup. The competition was carried on until the beginning of the war, under the auspices of the Glasgow Football Association, as its second string. In 1919-20 the competition for the cup was resumed.