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. 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.

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.

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).

Matches played Season Date Venue Competition Home scorer(s) Away scorer(s) Attendance Report1998–9908.08.1998Caledonian StadiumLeague CupDodds (1, 66, 70)5,164Sunday Mirror1999–0020.02.2000Caledonian StadiumScottish CupMann (50)Guntveit (81)6,290BBC Sport29.02.2000PittodrieScottish CupStavrum (75)18,451Sporting Life2004–0516.10.2004PittodrieInverness played a "home" game against Aberdeen at Pittodrie because the Caledonian Stadium was being redeveloped to meet SPL standards.SPLMcBain (36)Adams (28, 64 pen.), Mackie (90 pen.)9,530BBC Sport27.12.2004PittodrieSPL18,250BBC Sport05.02.2005PittodrieScottish CupMackie (15, 34)Brewster (24)10,595BBC Sport02.04.2005Caledonian StadiumSPLWhelan (38)7,026BBC Sport2005–0615.10.2005Caledonian StadiumSPLBayne (73)J. Smith (55)6,809BBC Sport31.12.2005PittodrieSPL12,266BBC Sport01.04.2006Caledonian StadiumSPLLovell (83)7,368BBC Sport2006–0705.08.2006PittodrieSPLCrawford (29)Wilson (89)11,955BBC Sport06.11.2006Caledonian StadiumSPLBayne (78)Lovell (90)5,744BBC Sport13.01.2007PittodrieSPLLovell (90)Rankin (86)10,300BBC Sport2007–0821.10.2007Caledonian StadiumSPLWyness (58)Young (8), Tokely (68 o.g.)6,023BBC Sport31.10.2007PittodrieLeague Cup Nicholson (10 pen., 21 pen., 78), Miller (45)Bayne (68)7,270BBC Sport02.01.2008PittodrieSPLNicholson (83 pen.)13,372BBC Sport29.03.2008Caledonian StadiumSPLBus (21 o.g.), Duncan (40), McBain (57)Aluko (7), Nicholson (45), Miller (53), Maguire (90)5,655BBC Sport2008–0929.08.2008PittodrieSPL Barrowman (27), McBain (90)12,659BBC Sport20.12.2008Caledonian StadiumSPLMulgrew (6), McDonald (51), Mackie (56)5,862BBC Sport11.04.2009PittodrieSPLMcDonald (79)11,114BBC Sport2010–1102.10.2010Caledonian StadiumSPL Hayes (19), Rooney (61)6,144BBC Sport09.11.2010PittodrieSPL Velicka (49) Rooney (34 pen.), Munro (81)5,917BBC Sport26.01.2011Caledonian StadiumSPL Jack (44), Blackman (49)4,468BBC Sport30.04.2011PittodrieSPL Pawlett (75) 6,280BBC Sport2011–1220.08.2011PittodrieSPL Milsom (12), Vernon (27) Foran (79)7,989BBC Sport24.12.2011Caledonian StadiumSPL Golobart (64), Tade (69) Fallon (76)5,888BBC Sport24.03.2012PittodrieSPL Tade (10)8,939BBC Sport21.04.2012Caledonian StadiumSPL Golobart (46 o.g.), Gillet (89 o.g.)3,487BBC Sport2012–1315.09.2012Caledonian StadiumSPL Foran (67 pen.) Smith (84)4,499BBC Report27.11.2012PittodrieSPL Magennis (45, 50) McKay (36, 82), Warren (58)9,193BBC Report19.01.2013Caledonian StadiumSPL Shinnie (53), McKay (61, 78) 4,734BBC Report2013–1421.09.2013Pittodrie Premiership Vernon (81) 11,251BBC Report21.12.2013Caledonian Stadium Premiership McKay (47, 57), Shinnie (90) Robson (22 pen., 32), Pawlett (37), McGinn (44)4,810BBC Report18.01.2014PittodriePremiership Williams (22)12,021BBC Report16.03.2014Celtic ParkLeague Cup 51,143 BBC Report18.04.2014Caledonian Stadium Premiership 4,224BBC Report 2014–1527.09.2014PittodriePremiership Rooney (24), Logan (40), Hayes (59) Meekings (16), Watkins (50)11,414 BBC Report28.12.2014Caledonian Stadium Premiership Pawlett (12) 6,614 BBC Report08.04.2015PittodriePremiership Taylor (47) 11,319 BBC Report25.04.2015Caledonian Stadium Premiership Ofere (48) Raven (69 o.g.), McGinn (74) 4,530 BBC Report2015–1626.09.2015Caledonian StadiumPremiership Storey (8), Christie (29) Taylor (35) 6,410BBC Report26.12.2015PittodriePremiership Polworth (41), Tansey (47 pen.) McGinn (73), Rooney (90 pen.) 15,142 BBC Report15.02.2016Caledonian StadiumPremiership Vigurs (18), Tansey (51 pen.), Tremarco (65) Rooney (7) 4,544BBC Report2016–1710.09.2016PittodriePremiership McGinn (51) Vigurs (68) 11,356BBC Report19.11.2016Caledonian StadiumPremiership Doumbouya (15) McLean (28, 89), Rooney (33 pen.) 4,867BBC report04.04.2017PittodriePremiership Warren (22 o.g.) 11,507 BBC report

Head-to-head summary

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 1Overall24 12 10 64 45

Goalscorer records Players with 3 or more goals in the North derby.

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