The Highland derby is a football rivalry that is based in the Scottish Highlands. It is contested between the only two full-time SPFL clubs in the Highland council area, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ross County. The city of Inverness and town of Dingwall are only apart, whereas the nearest other professional clubs (Aberdeen, Dundee, Dundee United and St Johnstone) are over away from either club. The fixture is the most northerly professional football derby in the UK.
History The rivalry first arose in 1994, when Caledonian Thistle (whose name did not yet include the city) were formed out of the merger between Caledonian and Inverness Thistle. Both the new Inverness club and Ross County had been accepted as new teams into the Scottish Football League, starting a trend of Highland League clubs entering the SFL. The first match between the sides was a Third Division contest, played on 27 August 1994 at Victoria Park, won 3–1 by Inverness.
Since that historic first match, the encounter has gone from strength to strength as both teams improved and came to compete near the top of the Scottish football league system. Both have significant fanbases that have grown due to their successes since their inclusion in 1994. Attendances at the derby matches often surpass the 5,000 mark, making the match itself a popular attraction. The clubs met in the top flight of Scottish football for the first time during the 2012–13 Scottish Premier League season. For a few months in 2016, the Highland clubs were simultaneously the holders of the country's two major cups, with Inverness's triumph in the 2015 Scottish Cup Final followed by Ross County's win in the 2016 Scottish League Cup Final (March).
The increased level of media interest in the fixture led some outlets to humorously tag the derby as "El Kessocko" (a pun on Spanish El Clásico) or "The Cold Firm" (a pun on the Old Firm).
The relationship between the clubs is unusual in that there is "a level of goodwill" between them. For example, both clubs closely co-operate in the Highland Football Academy.
Head-to-head In head-to-head matches, the teams have played each other in 62 games, with Inverness Caledonian Thistle winning 27 times, compared to Ross County's 17. A total of 18 matches have ended in a draw. Inverness have won more league, Scottish Cup and Challenge Cup matches, with the teams tied in League Cup matches.
Team League Scottish Cup League Cup Challenge Cup Total Inverness Caledonian Thistle 22 2 1 2 27 Ross County 16 0 1 0 17 Draw 15 3 0 0 18
Matches played League Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Ross County Ross County v Inverness Caledonian Thistle Season Division Date Venue Score Attendance Date Venue Score Attendance1994–95Third Division29 Oct 1994Telford Street Park0 – 02,44027 Aug 1994Victoria Park1 – 33,1576 May 1995Telford Street Park3 – 03,5622 Jan 1995Victoria Park3 – 12,7491995–96Third Division30 Sep 1995Telford Street Park1 – 13,62518 Nov 1995Victoria Park2 – 04,28823 Jan 1996Telford Street Park1 – 14,93116 Mar 1996Victoria Park2 – 13,6701996–97Third Division16 Nov 1996Caledonian Stadium2 – 04,562 28 Sep 1996Victoria Park1 – 33,59815 Mar 1997Caledonian Stadium3 – 05,52512 Feb 1997Victoria Park0 – 35,0172000–01First Division16 Sep 2000Caledonian Stadium0 – 14,82318 Nov 2000Victoria Park0 – 35,7212 Jan 2001Caledonian Stadium3 – 35,29131 Mar 2001Victoria Park0 – 15,8762001–02First Division17 Nov 2001Caledonian Stadium3 – 04,51315 Sep 2001Victoria Park2 – 14,67923 Mar 2002Caledonian Stadium1 – 14,68519 Mar 2002Victoria Park0 – 04,4142002–03First Division24 Aug 2002Caledonian Stadium2 – 03,6699 Nov 2002Victoria Park0 – 25,44925 Feb 2003Caledonian Stadium1 – 53,4438 Mar 2003Victoria Park0 – 24,6212003–04First Division14 Nov 2003Caledonian Stadium3 – 33,52330 Aug 2003Victoria Park1 – 15,02027 Mar 2004Caledonian Stadium1 – 04,0193 Jan 2004Victoria Park1 – 06,1202009–10First Division29 Aug 2009Caledonian Stadium1 – 35,8467 Nov 2009Victoria Park2 – 15,50630 Mar 2010Caledonian Stadium3 – 05,41120 Mar 2010Victoria Park0 – 05,9282012–13Premier League5 Oct 2012Caledonian Stadium3 – 16,7662 Mar 2013Victoria Park0 – 05,95916 Mar 2013Caledonian Stadium2 – 15,75019 May 2013Victoria Park1 – 06,0022013–14Premiership1 Jan 2014Caledonian Stadium1 – 24,33225 Feb 2014Victoria Park0 – 34,8054 Apr 2014Victoria Park1 – 24,4332014–15Premiership5 Oct 2014Caledonian Stadium1 – 13,7411 Jan 2015Victoria Park1 – 34,88731 Jan 2015Caledonian Stadium1 – 14,0212015–16Premiership2 Jan 2016Caledonian Stadium2 – 05,388 3 Oct 2015Victoria Park1 – 25,473 19 Mar 2016Victoria Park0 – 35,9122016–17Premiership13 Aug 2016Caledonian Stadium2 – 34,20431 Dec 2016Victoria Park3 – 25,111 18 Mar 2017Caledonian Stadium1 – 14,12328 Apr 2017Victoria Park4 – 04,9282018–19Championship3 Nov 2018Caledonian Stadium2 – 24,35322 Sep 2018Victoria Park0 – 06,4022 Apr 2019Caledonian Stadium1 – 23,79529 Dec 2018Victoria Park2 – 16,313
Cups Season Division Round Date Venue Score Attendance2003–04Challenge CupQuarter-final26 Aug 2003Caledonian Stadium1 – 02,6312004–05League CupSecond round24 Aug 2004Victoria Park0 – 13,3152009–10Challenge CupSemi-final4 Oct 2009Caledonian Stadium1 – 02,7552012–13 Scottish CupFourth round1 Dec 2012Victoria Park3 – 35,077Fourth round replay11 Dec 2012Caledonian Stadium2 – 14,1352015–16League CupQuarter-final27 Oct 2015Caledonian Stadium1 – 23,004 2018–19Scottish CupFifth round11 Feb 2019Victoria Park2 – 22,600Fifth round replay19 Feb 2019Caledonian Stadium2 – 23,6082020–21Scottish CupThird Round2 April 2021Victoria Park1 – 30
Goalscorer records Players with 3 or more goals in the Highland derby.
Scorer Team(s) League Scottish Cup League Cup Challenge Cup Total Liam Boyce Ross County 10 — — — 10 Dennis Wyness Inverness Caledonian Thistle 9 — — — 9 Billy McKay Inverness Caledonian Thistle 4 3 — — 9 Ross County 1 1 — — Iain Stewart Inverness Caledonian Thistle 7 — — — 7 Aaron Doran Inverness Caledonian Thistle 5 1 — — 6 Alan Hercher Inverness Caledonian Thistle 4 — — — 4 Jamie McPherson Ross County 4 — — — 4 Iain Vigurs Ross County 2 2 — — 4 Ross Draper Inverness Caledonian Thistle3 — — — 3 Steven Ferguson Ross County 3 — — — 3 Brian Grant Ross County 3 — — — 3 Barry Robson Inverness Caledonian Thistle3 — — — 3 Miles Storey Inverness Caledonian Thistle3 — — — 3 Marley Watkins Inverness Caledonian Thistle3 — — — 3 Barry Wilson Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3 — — — 3 Greg Tansey Inverness Caledonian Thistle2 — 1 — 3 Steve Hislop Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 — — 1 3 Ross County 1 — — — Richie Foran Inverness Caledonian Thistle1 2 — — 3 Ross Stewart Ross County 1 2 — — 3 Jordan White Inverness Caledonian Thistle1 2 — — 3 Michael Gardyne Ross County 1 1 1 — 3
Managerial records As of 2 April 2021. Minimum 5 Highland Derby games as manager.
NameTeamYearsOverall RecordLeague RecordGamesWinsWin %GamesWinsWin %John Hughes Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2013–201610660.00%9666.66%Ross County2020–2021100.00%000.00%Steve Paterson Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1995–200218950.00%18950.00%Terry Butcher Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2009–201311545.45%8337.50%Robert Wilson Ross County1987–19968337.50%8337.50%Jim McIntyre Ross County 2014–201711436.36%10330.00%Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson Ross County 2018–20206233.33%4250%Derek Adams Ross County2007–2010, 2011–201414428.57%11443%John Robertson Inverness Caledonian Thistle 2002–2004, 2017–202114428.57%10220.00%Alex Smith Ross County2002–20058 225.00% 6233.33%Neale Cooper Ross County1996–200214214.28%14214.28%
Notable players and managers of both clubs A number of players have played for both clubs. Craig Brewster is a former player and manager of ICT who then played for and coached Ross County. John Robertson and John Hughes have had spells as manager at both clubs.
Among the players who have featured for both sides are:
Andrew Barrowman Graham Bayne Mark Brown Joe Chalmers Alex Cooper Don Cowie Lionel Djebi-Zadi Coll Donaldson Ross Draper Russell Duncan Michael Fraser Les Fridge Stuart Golabek Richie Hart Richard Hastings Jay Henderson Steven Hislop Adam Mackinnon Roy McBain Mark McCulloch Billy McKay Gary McSwegan Alan Morgan Grant Munro John Rankin Antonio Reguero Mark Ridgers Hugh Robertson Alex Samuel Greg Tansey Ross Tokely Lewis Toshney Carl Tremarco Iain Vigurs Nicky Walker Steven Watt Jordan White Barry Wilson Garry Wood
Clubs' honours These are the football honours of Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Ross County since they joined the Scottish League in 1994–95:
National Titles Inverness Caledonian Thistle Ross County First Division/Championship 2 (2/0) 2 (1/1) Second Division/League One 1 (0/1) 1 (1/0) Third Division 1 1 Scottish Cup 1 — Scottish League Cup — 1 Scottish Challenge Cup 3 3 Total 88
These are the football honours of Caledonian, Inverness Thistle and Ross County until they joined the Scottish League in 1994–95:
National Competition Caledonian Inverness Thistle Ross County Highland Football League 18 8 3 Highland League Cup 5 3 4 North of Scotland Cup 20 13 4 Total 43 24 11
References
External links All-time matches between Inverness CT and Ross County at Soccerbase