The club has had several stints in the Victorian Premier League since the mid-1980s, with best finishes of runners-up in both 1986 and 2003.[1] The club was relegated from the VPL in 2006, but took out the State League 1 championship the following year, taking them straight back up to the VPL in 2007. The Pines again struggled in the VPL in 2008, finishing bottom and being relegated to State League 1. The club endured a disastrous year in State League 1 in 2009, suffering another relegation to State League 2 South East, winning just two games all season. The downward spiral continued in 2010, finishing the season in a relegation place once more. In 2011, the club was in the State League Division 3 for the first time since 1998. The club amassed just 8 points that year, despite playing in the fourth tier of Victorian football, and were relegated to the provisional leagues.[citation needed]
Head manager Danny Verdun took over the club in 2012 and against all odds, the club was promoted, finishing second in the Provisional League Div 1 South-East. The club finished in 8th position in 2013 in State League Division 3 South East, but were promoted to State League Division 2 South East due to a league restructuring. Amazingly, the rebirth continued, and the club finished top of the State League Division 2 South East in 2014, achieving promotion to State League 1 South East. The club went from four successive relegation from 2008–2011 to three successive promotions from 2012 to 2014.[citation needed]
In January 2024, Franklin Pines SC went through a massive recruitment drive for its senior squad under senior coach Donn Delaney, following its relegation to State 3.[3]
