Micky Adams

Michael, Richard Adams (Born Sheffield, November 8, 1961)
Played for the Whites 1986-1988 (88 apps with 1 sub app and 3 goals)

Adams' left boot helped fire Leeds to our first FA Cup semi-final for 10 years. His long-range shot at windswept Wigan set up a 2-0 win and a Hillsborough showdown with his old club Coventry City.

Adams, a raiding left-back, had only joined United from the Sky Blues 10 weeks before that epic 1987 semi in which Leeds lost 3-2.

The former England Youth international did not make the grade at Sheffield United but he shone at Gillingham prompting a step up to the First Division with Coventry before his switch to Elland Road (£110000).

Two years later United more than doubled their money when he moved onto Southampton (£250000).

At 34 he became the youngest manager operating in the League when he combined a player/manager role at Fulham, taking over from Ian Branfoot in March 1996 with the London club languishing in 91st place in the league.

After he had help the club avoid non-league football, Fulham were promoted to Division Two as runners-up the following season.

Following the takeover of Fulham by Mohammed Al Fayed, Adams was dismissed as manager in September 1997 in favour of Kevin Keegan (Director of Football) and Ray Wilkins (Head Coach).

Shortly after his dismissal from Fulham, 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.

Adams took his third job of the 1997-98 season when he was named manager of Brentford in place of Eddie May who had been appointed in the summer of '97.

But 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 boss.

Adams was caretaker-manager for Nottingham Forest for a single Premiership game in 1998-99, which he lost.

He returned to management in April 1999 with Division Three strugglers Brighton & Hove Albion.

In his second full season as manager, Adams guided Brighton to promotion as Division Three champions in 2000-01 after the club had spent five seasons in the league's basement division.

Adams left Brighton to become assistant manager to Dave Bassett at Leicester City.

Adams was then promoted to the manager's seat while Bassett became Director of Football after the club were relegated from the top division.

He guided them back to the Premiership at the first attempt as they ended the 2002-03 season as Division One runners-up behind champions Portsmouth.

But Leicester slipped back down again in 2003-04 in 18th place, along with Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Adams resigned as Leicester manager in October 2004 after a poor start to the Coca Cola League Championship campaign.

In January 2005, 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.

He 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.

The team started out poorly, but improved in the second half of the season to rise up the table.

However despite excellent home form, he could only guide Coventry as high as 8th, missing out on a play-off place.

On January 17, 2007 the club parted company with Adams, with Coventry lying 16th in the Championship.

Adams was appointed by Colchester United as assistant manager to Geraint Williams replacing Mick Harford who had left the previous month.

He subsequently left this role in January 2008, stating that he wanted to return to management.

In May 2008, Adams returned to Brighton, taking over from Dean Wilkins.