Lanrikshire derby

The **Lanrikshire derby** is the collective name gied tae ony fitbaa gemme played atween the fower biggest fitbaa clubs in Lanrikshire, Scotland, ootside o Glesga.  These are Albion Rovers, Airdrie Unitit, Hamilton Academical an Mitherwall.

## Fixtures

The're sechs possible fixtures playable in the Lanrikshire derby an aw o them hae been played at least ance.  The level o popularity o the fixtures is no so heich as it uised tae be sin they hav'nae been as common in recent times as the clubs hae been split ower the Scots league diveesions.  In terms o veectories in derbies, the team wae the best record is Mitherwall who hae recordit mare wins than thair opponents in every one o the derby matches.

### Albion Rovers vs Airdrie Unitit

Albion hae never played a gemme agin Airdrie Unitit.  Acause o a deeference in diveesions sin the 1989/90 season, the Albion hae anely played agin the noo defunct Airdrieonians (a previous incarnation o Airdrie Unitit).  The twa were never traditionally rivals an the gemme is anely classed as a derby acause the teams are frae neeborin touns (Coatbrig an Airdrie).

### Albion Rovers vs Hamilton Academical

In a similar wye tae the Albion vs Airdrie gemme, this fixture is anely really considert a derby acause the twa teams are frae close touns.  The twa are no really close rivals.  The maist recent fixture o this gemme wis played in September 2003 in a League Cup match at New Douglas Pairk in Hamilton, a 4&ndash;3 veectory for the hame side.  Accies shaired Albions grunnd for a while whan they could'nae uise thair ane in 1994.

### Albion Rovers vs Mitherwall

Maist fowk frae Lanrikshire will agree that ae aw the fixtures played, this is the least well mindit.  Albion hae never wun this derby in 34 times it haes been played oot. The last competitive gemme atween the twa teams wis a 4&ndash;0 veectory for Mitherwall in the 1987 Scots League Cup.

### Airdrie Unitit vs Hamilton Academical

This derby is aftentimes kennt as the North-Sooth Lanrikshire derby acause o the fact that Airdrie are frae North Lanrickshire and Hamilton are frae Sooth Lanrickshire.  This was the maist frequent o the derbies in recent times sin baith teams were competin in the same diveesion o the league.  Houaniver, seein as this wisna a fixture o the heichmaist diveesion (the SPL), it's no got the same profile as it aiblins should.

### Airdrie Unitit vs Mitherwall

This is arguably the maist fiercely contendit o aw the Lanrikshire derbies.  It is uisually kennt as the North Lanrickshire derby as it atween the twa biggest teams in North Lanrickshire.  Apart frae the proximity, the twa hae clashed in mony a heich stakes gemme an this haes increasit the rivalry atween the teams.

The match was alwyes a regularity whan the nou defunct Lanrikshire Cup was still played, an in quite a few instances, this match was the final. Syne the close o the competition in 1996, Airdrie haes 33 cup wins compared to Mitherwall's 32.  This means that, jointly, the clubs hae wun mare than hauf o aw the titles on affer in that cups 127 year history, showing just hou dominant the pair were at the time.

The maist recent clash wis a 1&ndash;0 veectory for Mitherwall in a Scots Cup Thrid Roond tie played at New Broomfield in Airdrie.  This was an occasion for supporters o baith teams an wis very weel attendit: a crowd o 5,924 turned oot tae see the spectacle.

### Hamilton Academical vs Mitherwall

Again, this match is aftentimes caa'd the North-Sooth Lanrikshire derby acause o the locations o the teams.  This is nou the maist common o the Lanrikshire derbies sin Hamilton wur fordert back tae the heichmaist diveesion o Scots fitbaa in 2007/08.  The maist recent gemmes (ie. thaim sin Hamilton's forderment), hae seen Mitherwall win 3 tae Hamiltons 1 an 1 draw.

## References