North derby
The term North derby is sometimes used to emphasise their relative geographical proximity, when matches are played between Scottish football clubs Aberdeen and Inverness Caledonian Thistle.[1] The clubs first met in a Scottish League Cup tie played on 8 August 1998. Inverness first entered the Scottish Football League in 1994 alongside fellow Highland side Ross County, forming the Highland derby. However, Inverness progressed over the next 10 years to form a rivalry with Aberdeen, after winning promotion to the Scottish Premier League in 2004.
| Teams | Aberdeen and Inverness Caledonian Thistle |
|---|---|
| First meeting | Inverness CT 0–3 Aberdeen (8 August 1998) |
| Latest meeting | Aberdeen 1–0 Inverness CT (4 April 2017) |
| Statistics | |
| Most wins | Aberdeen (24) |
| Top scorer | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Billy Mckay Inverness CT, 6 goals |
| Largest victory | Aberdeen 4–1 Inverness CT (31 October 2007) |
| Smallest victory | 1–0, (12 times). Aberdeen x10 Inverness CT x2 |
| Largest goal scoring | Inverness CT 3–4 Aberdeen (29 March 2008) and (21 December 2013) |
| Longest win streak | Aberdeen, 4 games. (21 October 2007 to 29 March 2008) and (27 September 2014 to 25 April 2015) |
| Longest unbeaten streak | Aberdeen, 17 games. (8 August 1998 to 29 March 2008) |
| Current win streak | Aberdeen, 2 games. (19 November 2016 to present) |
| Current unbeaten streak | Aberdeen, 3 games. (10 September 2016 to present) |
The match is considered to be a derby despite the fact that the two cities are over 100 miles apart. Aberdeen have no immediate rival geographically, although they have a longstanding rivalry with Rangers and another with Dundee United, who have frequently competed with them for Scottish major trophies.
Before Ross County were promoted to the SPL in 2012, the lack of an alternative derby opponent for both clubs led to the development of the rivalry. Due to the redevelopment of the Caledonian Stadium to meet SPL standard, Inverness had to share Pittodrie Stadium with Aberdeen during the first half of the 2004–05 league season.
Initially, the match has also been given an edge by Aberdeen enjoying a long unbeaten record against Inverness, partly thanks to a remarkable number of very late goals. This record was finally ended on the opening day of the 2008–09 league season when Inverness won 2–0 at Pittodrie. Other notable matches between the two clubs include a Scottish Cup tie in 2000. Aberdeen beat Inverness after a replay in the round after Inverness had caused a great shock by beating Celtic.[2]
The clubs met on 16 March 2014 in their most high-profile game to date, the 2014 Scottish League Cup final, with Aberdeen winning on penalties after a 0–0 draw (aet).[3]
Matches played
| Season | Date | Venue | Competition | Score[4] | Home scorer(s) | Away scorer(s) | Attendance | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | 08.08.1998 | Caledonian Stadium | League Cup | 0–3 |
Dodds (1, 66, 70) | 5,164 | Sunday Mirror | |
| 1999–00 | 20.02.2000 | Caledonian Stadium | Scottish Cup | 1–1 |
Mann (50) | Guntveit (81) | 6,290 | BBC Sport |
| 29.02.2000 | Pittodrie | Scottish Cup | 1–0 |
Stavrum (75) | 18,451 | Sporting Life | ||
| 2004–05 | 16.10.2004 | Pittodrie[5] | SPL | 1–3 |
McBain (36) | Adams (28, 64 pen.), Mackie (90 pen.) | 9,530 | BBC Sport |
| 27.12.2004 | Pittodrie | SPL | 0–0 |
18,250 | BBC Sport | |||
| 05.02.2005 | Pittodrie | Scottish Cup | 2–1 |
Mackie (15, 34) | Brewster (24) | 10,595 | BBC Sport | |
| 02.04.2005 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 0–1 |
Whelan (38) | 7,026 | BBC Sport | ||
| 2005–06 | 15.10.2005 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 1–1 |
Bayne (73) | J. Smith (55) | 6,809 | BBC Sport |
| 31.12.2005 | Pittodrie | SPL | 0–0 |
12,266 | BBC Sport | |||
| 01.04.2006 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 0–1 |
Lovell (83) | 7,368 | BBC Sport | ||
| 2006–07 | 05.08.2006 | Pittodrie | SPL | 1–1 |
Crawford (29) | Wilson (89) | 11,955 | BBC Sport |
| 06.11.2006 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 1–1 |
Bayne (78) | Lovell (90) | 5,744 | BBC Sport | |
| 13.01.2007 | Pittodrie | SPL | 1–1 |
Lovell (90) | Rankin (86) | 10,300 | BBC Sport | |
| 2007–08 | 21.10.2007 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 1–2 |
Wyness (58) | Young (8), Tokely (68 o.g.) | 6,023 | BBC Sport |
| 31.10.2007 | Pittodrie | League Cup | 4–1 |
Nicholson (10 pen., 21 pen., 78), Miller (45) | Bayne (68) | 7,270 | BBC Sport | |
| 02.01.2008 | Pittodrie | SPL | 1–0 |
Nicholson (83 pen.) | 13,372 | BBC Sport | ||
| 29.03.2008 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 3–4 |
Bus (21 o.g.), Duncan (40), McBain (57) | Aluko (7), Nicholson (45), Miller (53), Maguire (90) | 5,655 | BBC Sport | |
| 2008–09 | 29.08.2008 | Pittodrie | SPL | 0–2 |
Barrowman (27), McBain (90) | 12,659 | BBC Sport | |
| 20.12.2008 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 0–3 |
Mulgrew (6), McDonald (51), Mackie (56) | 5,862 | BBC Sport | ||
| 11.04.2009 | Pittodrie | SPL | 1–0 |
McDonald (79) | 11,114 | BBC Sport | ||
| 2010–11 | 02.10.2010 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 2–0 |
Hayes (19), Rooney (61) | 6,144 | BBC Sport | |
| 09.11.2010 | Pittodrie | SPL | 1–2 |
Velicka (49) | Rooney (34 pen.), Munro (81) | 5,917 | BBC Sport | |
| 26.01.2011 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 0–2 |
Jack (44), Blackman (49) | 4,468 | BBC Sport | ||
| 30.04.2011 | Pittodrie | SPL | 1–0 |
Pawlett (75) | 6,280 | BBC Sport | ||
| 2011–12 | 20.08.2011 | Pittodrie | SPL | 2–1 |
Milsom (12), Vernon (27) | Foran (79) | 7,989 | BBC Sport |
| 24.12.2011 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 2–1 |
Golobart (64), Tade (69) | Fallon (76) | 5,888 | BBC Sport | |
| 24.03.2012 | Pittodrie | SPL | 0–1 |
Tade (10) | 8,939 | BBC Sport | ||
| 21.04.2012 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 0–2 |
Golobart (46 o.g.), Gillet (89 o.g.) | 3,487 | BBC Sport | ||
| 2012–13 | 15.09.2012 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 1–1 |
Foran (67 pen.) | Smith (84) | 4,499 | BBC Report |
| 27.11.2012 | Pittodrie | SPL | 2–3 |
Magennis (45, 50) | McKay (36, 82), Warren (58) | 9,193 | BBC Report | |
| 19.01.2013 | Caledonian Stadium | SPL | 3–0 |
Shinnie (53), McKay (61, 78) | 4,734 | BBC Report | ||
| 2013–14 | 21.09.2013 | Pittodrie | Premiership | 1–0 |
Vernon (81) | 11,251 | BBC Report | |
| 21.12.2013 | Caledonian Stadium | Premiership | 3–4 |
McKay (47, 57), Shinnie (90) | Robson (22 pen., 32), Pawlett (37), McGinn (44) | 4,810 | BBC Report | |
| 18.01.2014 | Pittodrie | Premiership | 0–1 |
Williams (22) | 12,021 | BBC Report | ||
| 16.03.2014 | Celtic Park | League Cup | 51,143 | BBC Report | ||||
| 18.04.2014 | Caledonian Stadium | Premiership | 0–0 |
4,224 | BBC Report Archived 20 April 2014 at archive.today | |||
| 2014–15 | 27.09.2014 | Pittodrie | Premiership | 3–2 |
Rooney (24), Logan (40), Hayes (59) | Meekings (16), Watkins (50) | 11,414 | BBC Report |
| 28.12.2014 | Caledonian Stadium | Premiership | 0–1 |
Pawlett (12) | 6,614 | BBC Report | ||
| 08.04.2015 | Pittodrie | Premiership | 1–0 |
Taylor (47) | 11,319 | BBC Report | ||
| 25.04.2015 | Caledonian Stadium | Premiership | 1–2 |
Ofere (48) | Raven (69 o.g.), McGinn (74) | 4,530 | BBC Report | |
| 2015–16 | 26.09.2015 | Caledonian Stadium | Premiership | 2–1 |
Storey (8), Christie (29) | Taylor (35) | 6,410 | BBC Report |
| 26.12.2015 | Pittodrie | Premiership | 2–2 |
Polworth (41), Tansey (47 pen.) | McGinn (73), Rooney (90 pen.) | 15,142 | BBC Report | |
| 15.02.2016 | Caledonian Stadium | Premiership | 3–1 |
Vigurs (18), Tansey (51 pen.), Tremarco (65) | Rooney (7) | 4,544 | BBC Report | |
| 2016–17 | 10.09.2016 | Pittodrie | Premiership | 1–1 |
McGinn (51) | Vigurs (68) | 11,356 | BBC Report |
| 19.11.2016 | Caledonian Stadium | Premiership | 1–3 |
Doumbouya (15) | McLean (28, 89), Rooney (33 pen.) | 4,867 | BBC report | |
| 04.04.2017 | Pittodrie | Premiership | 1–0 |
Warren (22 o.g.) | 11,507 | BBC report |
- After Extra Time; Aberdeen won 4–2 on penalties.
Head-to-head summary
- As of 4 April 2017
| Competition | Aberdeen wins | Draws | Inverness CT wins | Aberdeen goals | Inverness CT goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPL / Premiership | 20 | 10 | 10 | 53 | 42 |
| Scottish Cup | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| League Cup | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Overall | 24 | 12 | 10 | 64 | 45 |
Goalscorer records
Players with 3 or more goals in the North derby.
- As of 4 April 2017
| Scorer | Team(s) | League | Scottish Cup | League Cup | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billy McKay | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 6 | – | – | 6 |
 Adam Rooney | Aberdeen Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 4 2 | – – | – – | 6 |
 Barry Nicholson | Aberdeen | 2 | – | 3 | 5 |
| Niall McGinn | Aberdeen | 4 | – | – | 4 |
| Darren Mackie | Aberdeen | 2 | 2 | – | 4 |
 Steve Lovell | Aberdeen | 3 | – | – | 3 |
| Roy McBain | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 3 | – | – | 3 |
| Peter Pawlett | Aberdeen | 3 | – | – | 3 |
| Graham Bayne | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 2 | – | 1 | 3 |
| Billy Dodds | Aberdeen | - | – | 3 | 3 |
Notes
- "Inverness CT v. Aberdeen". RedWeb, Aberdeen FC. Retrieved 20 February 2013.
- "Caley's minnows slay Celtic". BBC Sport website. 8 February 2000.
- "Aberdeen win Cup on penalties". BBC Sport website. 16 March 2014.
- The home team's score is shown first.
- Inverness played a "home" game against Aberdeen at Pittodrie because the Caledonian Stadium was being redeveloped to meet SPL standards.