36 Facts About Derek McInnes

Derek John McInnes was born on 5 July 1971 and is a Scottish professional football manager and former player who is the manager of Scottish Premiership club Kilmarnock.

Derek McInnes featured prominently for Greenock Morton, Rangers, West Bromwich Albion and Dundee United during his playing career.

Derek McInnes won two caps for the Scotland national football team while with West Brom.

Derek McInnes guided the club to promotion to the Scottish Premier League in 2009 and retained that status for two seasons.

Derek McInnes was appointed manager of Football League Championship club Bristol City in October 2011.

Derek McInnes was appointed Aberdeen manager in March 2013 but was sacked eight years later in March 2021, having won the Scottish League Cup in 2014, finished Scottish Premiership runners-up on four occasions and reached three other cup finals during his spell in charge.

In January 2022 Derek McInnes was appointed manager of Kilmarnock on an 18-month deal, succeeding previous manager Tommy Wright.

Derek McInnes began his professional career in 1988 as a teenager at Greenock Morton, where he played in 259 games in all competitions over nine seasons and credited the influence of assistant manager John McMaster, before moving to Rangers, where he spent almost five years as a squad player, taking part in 52 matches for the Ibrox club; his main achievement was winning the Scottish Cup in 1999 to clinch a domestic treble.

Derek McInnes scored four goals for Rangers, with strikes against FC Alania Vladikavkaz in the Champions League and Hearts in the league.

Derek McInnes scored twice against Ayr United and Dunfermline in Rangers' run to the 1996 Scottish League Cup Final, but he did not feature in the final itself.

Derek McInnes was briefly at French side Toulouse during a season in which the club was promoted from the second division, although he only featured in three league matches.

Derek McInnes joined West Bromwich Albion in the summer of 2000, but a cruciate ligament injury ended his season in October.

Derek McInnes returned the following season to captain West Brom to a place in the Premier League.

Derek McInnes won West Brom's Goal of the Season award at the end of the promotion campaign, for his 25-yard strike against Sheffield United in the Battle of Bramall Lane.

Derek McInnes was the first West Brom player to be sent off in the Premier League.

Derek McInnes was dismissed in the second half of the club's first Premier League match against Manchester United at Old Trafford in August 2002.

Derek McInnes made 88 league appearances and scored six times for the West Midlands club.

Derek McInnes joined Dundee United on 11 July 2003, and was immediately installed as team captain by manager Ian McCall.

Derek McInnes then picked up an injury with a third of the season remaining but managed to return to the first team for the Scottish Cup final at the end of the season.

Derek McInnes made 83 appearances for Dundee United, with four goals scored.

On 24 June 2006, it was announced that Derek McInnes had finally come to an agreement to be released from his contract and he subsequently joined Millwall.

Derek McInnes left Millwall on a free transfer during the January 2007 transfer window, returning to Scotland to sign for St Johnstone late on New Year's Day.

Derek McInnes was appointed manager of St Johnstone on 27 November 2007, after the previous management team of Owen Coyle and Sandy Stewart had departed for Burnley.

On 2 May 2009, Derek McInnes secured promotion to the Scottish Premier League for St Johnstone, ending their seven-year stint in the First Division.

Derek McInnes remained at St Johnstone and in October 2009 he signed a new contract with the Perth club.

Derek McInnes was granted permission by St Johnstone to be interviewed by Bristol City for their managerial position, alongside former Barnsley manager Mark Robins and another unnamed candidate, in October 2011.

Derek McInnes was appointed manager of Bristol City on 19 October 2011.

The club were adrift at the bottom of the Football League Championship, but Derek McInnes guided City to an eight-game unbeaten run that secured their league status.

Derek McInnes was appointed Aberdeen manager on 25 March 2013, with Tony Docherty as his assistant.

Ahead of the League Cup final, Derek McInnes signed an extension to his contract, tying himself to the club until the summer of 2017.

Derek McInnes led Aberdeen to European qualification for the first time since 2009, achieved through a third-place finish in the league campaign.

Derek McInnes criticised the referee for ignoring the challenge when goalkeeper Jamie Langfield was fouled by John Sutton, which later led to the goal scored by Craig Reid.

Derek McInnes was again shortlisted for PFA Scotland Manager of the Year, but lost out to Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers.

In June 2017, Aberdeen granted permission for Sunderland to speak with Derek McInnes about becoming their manager, but he decided to stay with Aberdeen.

Derek McInnes was apparently reacting to sectarian abuse by Celtic fans, which was investigated by Police Scotland.

Derek McInnes was appointed manager of Scottish Championship club Kilmarnock on an 18-month deal in early January 2022.