Micky Adams
Michael Adams (born
8 November 1961 in
Sheffield) is a professional
football manager in
England and former player.
Adams began his playing career at
Gillingham and also had spells at
Coventry City,
Leeds United and
Southampton. His preferred position was left-back.
Fulham (1996-97): Early promotion success
Micky Adams moved into management with
Fulham in March 1996. They finished in the bottom half of Division Three, just a few weeks after Adams moved into the manager's seat, but were promoted to Division Two as runners-up in the following season's final table.
Following the takeover of
Fulham FC by
Mohammed Al Fayed,
Micky Adams was dismissed as manager in September 1997 in favour of
Kevin Keegan (director of football) and
Ray Wilkins (head coach).
Swansea City (1997): 13-day reign
Shortly after his dismissal from Fulham, Micky Adams made a quick return to management with
Swansea City in Division Three but left after 13 days. Adams claimed that the money he had been promised to strengthen the team had not been forthcoming, but within days he had joined Brentford.
It was subsequently alleged that he had been engaged in discussions with at least one London club at the same time as his negotiations with Swansea.
Brentford (1997-98): Relegation
Before 1997 was out, Micky Adams took his third job of the 97-98 season when he was named manager of
Brentford in place of
David Webb. Brentford had suffered a slump in league form after losing the previous season's Division Two playoff final, and were struggling near the foot of the table. Brentford were relegated to Division Three on the last day of the season, and the club was bought out by
Ron Noades who installed himself as the new Brentford manager.
Adams was the caretaker manager for
Nottingham Forest for a single Premiership game in 1998-99, which he lost.
Brighton (1999-2001): Reviving fortunes for the Seagulls
Micky Adams returned to management in April 1999 with Division Three underdogs
Brighton & Hove Albion. In his second full season as manager, 2000-01, Adams guided Brighton to promotion as Division Three champions after the club had spent five seasons in the league's basement division. He set the foundations for Brighton to achieve a second successive promotion as Division Two champions in 2001-02.
Leicester (2001-2004): Fighting the odds
In October 2001, Micky Adams left Brighton to become assistant manager to
Dave Bassett at
Leicester City.
Peter Taylor, the former Leicester manager, was drafted in to complete Brighton's promotion campaign.
Adams, meanwhile, spent six months working under Bassett and during that time Leicester were almost permanently stuck to the bottom of the
Premiership. Just before relegation was confirmed, Adams was promoted to the manager's seat while Bassett became Director of Football.
Despite Leicester going into receivership with debts of £30million and being banned from the transfer market until a takeover was completed, Adams was able to guide them to promotion back to the Premiership at the first attempt - they ended the 2002-03 season as Division One runners-up behind champions
Portsmouth.
Leicester slipped back down again in 2003-04 in 18th place, bracketed together with the two other relegated sides -
Leeds United and
Wolverhampton - whose goal difference was weaker than Leicester's.
Micky Adams resigned as Leicester manager in October 2004 after a poor start to the
Coca Cola League Championship campaign dashed the club's hopes of an instant return to the Premiership.
It was well documented in the press at the time that the 'Chris Makins Ladyboys' were behind Adams departure forcing him out of the club following the sale of Leicester City Legend footballer and keen golfer Chris Makin. Adams was also assaulted in the toilets of a leicester bar 'Squares' which is said to be one of the Ladyboys 'Hunting Grounds'.
Coventry City (2005-): Revival for the Sky Blues?
In February 2005, Micky Adams made a return to management in the Coca Cola Championship with struggling
Coventry City, a club he had been at during his playing career. Adams managed to save the club from relegation that year. He was expected by some to mount a challenge for promotion to the Premiership in 2005-06, which was the club's first season in the new
Ricoh Arena off Rowley's Green Industrial Estate, Longoford, Jc 3 off the M6. However despite excellent home form at the new stadium, he could only guide Coventry as high as 8th, missing out on a play-off place by some distance. But this gave Coventry fans hope that they could push from promotion to the Premiership in 2006-07, something that they had failed to do since their relegation in 2001.
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Micky Adams managerial statistics at soccerbase.com
