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[4] and credited the influence of assistant manager John McMaster,[5] before moving to Rangers, where he spent almost five years as a squad player, taking part in 52 matches for the Ibrox club;[6] his main achievement was winning the Scottish Cup in 1999 to clinch a domestic treble.

During his time in Glasgow, McInnes had a loan spell at English club Stockport County, where he made 13 league appearances.

He also 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.

[14] In April 2006, United manager Craig Brewster announced that McInnes was free to leave the club at the end of the season, despite having a year of his contract left to run.

International recognition came late to McInnes as he made his Scotland debut on 21 August 2002, coming on as a substitute for the last ten minutes against Denmark in a friendly.

[23] 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.

[24] McInnes was sacked on 12 January 2013, after a 4–0 home defeat to Leicester City left the club eight points adrift of safety.

[28] After the final game with Brown as manager, McInnes vowed to improve the club by helping the city of Aberdeen to "fall in love" with its football team again.

At the end of the month Russell Anderson scored in the 94th minute to level the game at 2–2 and secure a point for the Dons against Motherwell at Fir Park to keep them in second place.

[33] Aberdeen won the 2014 Scottish League Cup Final 4–2 on penalties, after a goalless draw, a success that saw them lift their first trophy in 19 years.

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.

[36][37] Early in the 2014–15 season, Aberdeen progressed through two qualifying rounds of the UEFA Europa League, including an aggregate victory against Dutch club FC Groningen.

During the 2015 close season, despite mounting speculation that he was in talks to take over at Rangers, McInnes signed a new contract with the club keeping him at Pittodrie until 2019.

[50] Rangers made an approach for McInnes in December 2017 (immediately following two league games in four days between the clubs, both won by the Glasgow side)[51][52] but he rejected that offer as well.

[57] This run of form continued, as Aberdeen scored one goal in nine matches, and McInnes left the club by mutual consent on 8 March 2021.

[61] On 22 April of the same year McInnes took Kilmarnock back to the Premiership by beating Arbroath 2–1 at Rugby Park to win the Championship title.