Derby County F.C.–Leicester City F.C. rivalry

For other East Midland derbies, see Derby County F.C.–Nottingham Forest F.C. rivalry and Leicester City F.C.–Nottingham Forest F.C. rivalry.

The fixture between Leicester City and Derby County is a football rivalry in the East Midlands. The fixture is often called an East Midlands derby. Although both clubs have a strong mutual dislike of each other, they both consider Nottingham Forest their main rivals.^[1]

Derby County–Leicester City rivalry

Other names	East Midlands derby
Location	Derby Leicester (England)
Teams	Derby County Leicester City
First meeting	10 February 1894
Latest meeting	Leicester City 3–1 Derby County FA Cup Fourth round replay (8 February 2017)
Next meeting	6 December 2025, Pride Park EFL Championship
Statistics
Meetings total	108
Most wins	Derby County (46)
All-time series	County Derby: 46 Draw: 28 Leicester City: 34
Largest victory	Leicester Fosse 6–0 Derby County 1909–10 Second Division (26 February 1910) Leicester Fosse 0–6 Derby County 1914–15 Second Division (28 December 1914)
Derby County Leicester City

Overall record

• Derby County: 46 wins^{[citation needed]}
• 28 draws ^{[citation needed]}

Leicester City 34 wins^{[citation needed]}

Historically, Derby has a better record against Leicester beating them 46 times in 108 meetings. Leicester has won 34 meetings with 28 ending in draws. However, in recent years Leicester have dominated the fixture, having won 8 of the last 9 meetings. In fact, a Derby player didn't score against Leicester from 2007 until Theo Robinson scored against them in the Championship game on 1 December 2012.^{[citation needed]}

The 2 sides will be meeting each other in the 2025–26 season, on 6 and 29 December 2025, following Leicester's relegation from the 2024–25 Premier League and Derby's confirming their survival in the Championship on the final day of the 2024–25 EFL Championship. This will be their first meeting in 8 years, the last one being on 8 February 2017 in an FA Cup 3rd round replay, a game which Leicester won 3–1, following a 2–2 draw at Pride Park on 27 January 2017.^[2][3]

Crossing the divide

During both Derby and Leicester's history several players have played for both clubs and a manager has managed both.

Players

Derby then Leicester

• Johnny McMillan
• Jack Bowers
• Tommy Eggleston
• David McCulloch
• Johnny Morris
• Willie Carlin
• Gerry Daly
• Dave Langan
• Gary Mills, also played for Nottingham Forest and Notts County
• Bobby Davison
• Ian Ormondroyd
• Phil Gee
• Gary Rowett
• Dean Sturridge
• Jacob Laursen
• Lee Morris
• Steve Howard
• Matt Oakley^[4]
• Chris Powell
• Marc Edworthy
• James Vaughan

Leicester then Derby

• Mick O'Brien
• John Summers
• David Nish
• David Webb
• Trevor Christie, also played for Nottingham Forest and Notts County.
• Mark Wallington
• Mark Grew
• Peter Shilton, also played for Nottingham Forest.
• Ian Wilson
• Paul Kitson
• Gary Charles also played for Nottingham Forest.
• Russell Hoult
• Ashley Ward
• Spencer Prior
• Chris Makin
• Kevin Poole
• Ryan Smith
• Robbie Savage – played for Birmingham City and Blackburn Rovers in between.
• Paul Dickov – loaned to Derby County from Leicester in 2009.^[5]
• Jordan Stewart
• Lee Hendrie
• DJ Campbell
• David Martin
• Zak Whitbread
• Michael Keane – loaned to Leicester City, and later Derby County, from Manchester United
• Jesse Lingard – loaned to Leicester City, and later Derby County, from Manchester United
• David Nugent
• Martyn Waghorn – played for Rangers, Wigan Athletic and Ipswich Town in between.
• Tom Lawrence
• Andy King – loaned to Derby County from Leicester in January 2019.
• Richard Stearman

Managers and staff

• Nigel Pearson – managed Leicester in 2 separate spells, left Derby by mutual consent on 8 October 2016
• Kevin Phillips – Player and coach at Leicester, later first team coach at Derby

Results since 2006

  Derby County win   Leicester City win   Draw

Date	Competition	Stadium	Score	Derby scorers	Leicester scorers	Attendance	Ref
29 December 2025	Championship	King Power Stadium
6 December 2025	Championship	Pride Park Stadium
Leicester relegated to Championship 2024–25
Leicester promoted to Premier League 2023–24
Derby promoted to Championship 2023–24
Leicester relegated to Championship 2022–23
Derby relegated to League One 2021–22
8 February 2017	FA Cup	King Power Stadium	3–1 (a.e.t.)	Abdoul Camara	Andy King, Wilfred Ndidi, Demarai Gray	31,648	[6]
27 January 2017	FA Cup	Pride Park Stadium	2–2	Darren Bent, Craig Bryson	Darren Bent (o.g.), Wes Morgan	25,079	[7]
Leicester promoted to Premier League 2013–14
10 January 2014	Championship	King Power Stadium	4–1	Ritchie De Laet (o.g.)	Ritchie De Laet, David Nugent (2), Jamie Vardy	23,140	[8]
24 September 2013	League Cup	King Power Stadium	2–1	Chris Martin	Anthony Knockaert, Danny Drinkwater	14,043
17 August 2013	Championship	Pride Park Stadium	0–1		Lee Grant (o.g.)	23,437	[9]
16 March 2013	Championship	Pride Park Stadium	2–1	Richard Keogh, Chris Martin	Jeff Schlupp	23,123	[10]
1 December 2012	Championship	King Power Stadium	4–1	Theo Robinson	Zak Whitbread, Martyn Waghorn, David Nugent (two)	20,806	[11]
23 February 2012	Championship	Pride Park Stadium	0–1		Neil Danns	28,205	[citation needed]
1 October 2011	Championship	King Power Stadium	4–0		David Nugent, Darius Vassell, Jeff Schlupp, Lloyd Dyer	22,496	[12]
12 February 2011	Championship	Pride Park Stadium	0–2		Yakubu, Andy King	26,142	[13]
13 November 2010	Championship	Walkers Stadium	2–0		Andy King, Steve Howard (pen.)	25,930	[14]
27 March 2010	Championship	Pride Park Stadium	1–0	Andy King (o.g.)		30,259	[15]
17 October 2009	Championship	Walkers Stadium	0–0			28,875	[16]
Leicester promoted to Championship 2008–09
Leicester relegated to League One 2007–08
Derby relegated to Championship 2007–08
Derby promoted to Premier League 2006–07
6 April 2007	Championship	Walkers Stadium	1–1	Craig Fagan	Matty Fryatt	24,704	[17]
25 November 2006	Championship	Pride Park Stadium	1–0	Jon Stead		28,315	[18]
14 February 2006	Championship	Walkers Stadium	2–2	Mounir El Hamdaoui, Richard Stearman (o.g.)	Iain Hume, Alan Maybury	23,246	[19]

Notable results

First Division play-off final

30 May 1994 (1994-05-30)

13:30 BST

Leicester City	2–1	Derby County
Walsh 41', 84'	[20]	Johnson 28'

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 73,671

Referee: Roger Milford

---

28 December 1915

Leicester Fosse	0–6	Derby County

Filbert Street, Leicester

Referee: Unknown

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26 February 1910

Leicester Fosse	6–0	Derby County

Filbert Street, Leicester

Referee: Unknown

---

10 February 1894

Leicester Fosse	0–0	Derby County

Filbert Street, Leicester

Referee: Unknown

Honours

Team	League	FA Cup	League Cup	FA Charity Shield/ FA Community Shield	Total trophies
Leicester City	1	1	3	2	7
Derby County	2	1	0	1	5
Total	3	2	3	3	12

Hooliganism

Games between the two teams, like the majority of local derbies in English football, have resulted in a number of football hooliganism incidents.

After a EFL Cup game between the two sides in 1985 which saw Leicester eliminated at the hands of Derby, there was a widespread "riot".^[21]

In October 2009, James Underwood, a Derby supporter aligned with the firm Derby Lunatic Fringe was involved in an incident with Leicester supporters. In May 2010, Underwood was then banned from attending football matches for three years for his role in that incident, among other separate clashes involving supporters of Everton, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday.^[22]

Trivia

• The Highest scoring game between the two sides ended 5–2 to Derby County in the 1928/29 English football season, which year Leicester achieved what was until their Premier League title win in 2015–16 their highest ever league finish, 2nd in Division One (now the Premier League)^[23]
• Leicester have a 100% record on neutral ground beating Derby 2–1 in the 1993/94 Play-off finals for promotion to the Premier League.^[23]
• The last time Derby beat Leicester away from home was 3–0 in 2002. The year both clubs were relegated from the Premier League. Leicester won the reverse fixture 3–2.^[23]
• According to the Football fan census, Leicester and Derby are 'traditional' rivals.
• Leicester as well as Forest refer to Derby as 'the sheep', a reference to their nickname being the Rams.^[23]
• Of the two clubs, Leicester have a better record against Nottingham Forest.^[23]

See also

• Leicester City F.C.–Nottingham Forest F.C. rivalry
• M69 derby