North Belfast derby
| Locale | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
|---|---|
| Teams |
Cliftonville Crusaders |
| First meeting | 13 January 1923 |
| Latest meeting | 21 January 2017 (Seaview) |
| Next meeting | TBC (Solitude) |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 281 (competitive) |
| Most wins | Crusaders (143) |
| All-time series | Crusaders – 143 Cliftonville – 81 Draws – 57 |
| Largest victory | Crusaders 8–0 Cliftonville (1972 City Cup) |
The North Belfast derby is the name given to football matches between Cliftonville and Crusaders who play in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The two are separated by around 1.5 miles with Cliftonville based at Solitude on Cliftonville Road and Crusaders at Seaview on the Shore Road.
The rivalry between the two clubs began in 1949 with Crusaders' ascension to senior football. For the majority of years the rivalry was simply competitive and geographical. The rivalry was heightened during The Troubles, and as the religious and political demographics within Belfast changed, Cliftonville began to develop a mainly nationalist following and Crusaders a unionist following. While there have been unsavoury incidents in the past between the clubs and the rivalry is fierce and intense on the pitch, off the pitch they have developed a strong cross-community relationship in recent years.
The two sides have met each other on at least 280 occasions, and have met in three national cup finals (the 2009 Irish Cup final, 2013 League Cup final and 2014 League Cup final) and one regional cup final (the 1979 County Antrim Shield final). The two sides have also won eleven league titles between them, four of these wins coming in the last four seasons; Cliftonville winning in 2012–13 and 2013–14, and Crusaders winning in 2014–15 and 2015–16.
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