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Mickey Adams



Albion Rob

New member
Voroshilov said:
I think the truth of it is a certain section of the support never warmed to him, for whatever reason. I think you'll find there were a significant number who did rate him at he time

I thought he did well while he was with us and I enjoyed going to Withdean while he was in charge because you knew the football would be good.

However, you only really find out about a manager when the going gets tough and the money isn't there to buy players who can (potentially) lead you to success.

I can only base what I am saying on what has happened at Leicester and it has to be said that both seasons (03/04 and 04/05) he didn't seem to do a lot to inspire his team.

I can tell you the exact day I decided MA was not an Albion legend and that was when a friend of mine met the godfather of his daughter while watching cricket in Sri Lanka. Mickey's friend said: "He thinks Brighton are a bit of a two-bit club and he will be out the door as soon as Harry Bassett lands a decent job."

I put that on here and was flamed at the time. Six months later, what happens? Bassett gets the Leicester job and Mickey has gone as quick as a flash. I have no problem with a bit of ambition but at the same time, we are all accountable in our jobs to varying degrees.
 
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Dick Knights Mumm

Take me Home Falmer Road
Jul 5, 2003
19,736
Hither and Thither
I can believe that AR - we were never good enough for MA. But I believe we still did alright by him. He is a proven manager in the lower leagues, but not yet in the top divisions.

I think of him as an Albion legend. He came to march with us for Falmer - and that says a lot for me.
 


Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
31,267
It is fair to say he rubbed a significant number of supporters up the wrong way, but surely no one would doubt his quality while he was here.

Mickey's CV since leaving the Albion has been mixed, but I still fancy he will turn Cov around (but hopefully not too quickly).
 


Superseagull

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
2,123
He was a breath of fresh air to this club. He got on well with Dick Knight, spent what money he had well, and got a great team of players together. The reason we are in the Championship now is due to Mickey Adams. The fact that the Youth team has produced so many 1st team players can also be traced back to him. The problems at Coventry are not his fault - he has inherited a club full of overpaid has beens. Next season they will be a different team albeit in the 1st Division!
 


Uncle Buck

Ghost Writer
Jul 7, 2003
28,075
Superseagull said:
He was a breath of fresh air to this club. He got on well with Dick Knight, spent what money he had well, and got a great team of players together. The reason we are in the Championship now is due to Mickey Adams. The fact that the Youth team has produced so many 1st team players can also be traced back to him. The problems at Coventry are not his fault - he has inherited a club full of overpaid has beens. Next season they will be a different team albeit in the 1st Division!

Not sure I agree with the Youth Team quote as Hinshlewood and Wilkins were brought into the club whilst we were at Gillingham and I think Horton was in charge. They are the reason for this crop of players.
 




Superseagull

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
2,123
Uncle Buck said:
Not sure I agree with the Youth Team quote as Hinshlewood and Wilkins were brought into the club whilst we were at Gillingham and I think Horton was in charge. They are the reason for this crop of players.

Agree that Hinshlewood and Wilkins can take most of the credit but I think Mickey Adams had a big say in which young players were kept at the club and offered pro contracts during the final year he was here.
 


Uncle Buck

Ghost Writer
Jul 7, 2003
28,075
Superseagull said:
Agree that Hinshlewood and Wilkins can take most of the credit but I think Mickey Adams had a big say in which young players were kept at the club and offered pro contracts during the final year he was here.

You see I never thought he was all that interested in them. He had to play a few of them at Swansea when we had the flu bug rip through the team, but beyond that he rarely played them. Virgo got a few games during the promotion season, but that was more down to the fact that both Crosby and Wicks were out and I think Carr was knackered by then. The following season he then brought Morgan in.

He played Wilkinson now and then, but generally he relied (and was correct for it at the time) on seasoned pro's.
 


Tom Bombadil

Well-known member
Jul 14, 2003
6,106
Jibrovia
To be fair to Adams the likes of Hinsh, Harding, Hammond, El-Abd Robinson etc weren't ready for the first team when he was here.
Marney and Wilkinson never made the grade.
 




looney

Banned
Jul 7, 2003
15,652
Ungratefull bastards,

"If he had signed pintomonti"

Yea and if my auntie had balls she'd be my uncle. Its pointless second guessing history. He signed Zamora, we got 2 promotions. We could well be in the rymans league if it wasn't for MA.

If we get Falmer and have League status. He saved the club.(And dick knight etc)
 


CoventrySeagull

New member
Jul 7, 2003
151
Back in HANGLETON
Albion Rob said:

He is now at Coventry who have an awesome record of five defeats on the bounce when they should be trying to impress their new leader and look like being one of the sides who are going to prevent us from playing league one football next year.

Now, I thank Mickey for everything he did at this club because he gave us one-and-a-bit seasons of glory that I personally had never seen before, but how good is he really?

When the money is there and his side are relatively big fish in smallish ponds, he seems able to 'work wonders' but when it cuts up rough, he has been found wanting on a few occasions now.

The proof will be in the pudding - Will he keep Coventry up?

Probably not, especially if Gillingham continue to pick up the odd point here or there and edge ahead of Coventry.

As far as the local press are concerned, they don't hold out much hope.
 


Deportivo Seagull

I should coco
Jul 22, 2003
5,471
Mid Sussex
Superseagull said:
He was a breath of fresh air to this club. He got on well with Dick Knight, spent what money he had well, and got a great team of players together. The reason we are in the Championship now is due to Mickey Adams. The fact that the Youth team has produced so many 1st team players can also be traced back to him. The problems at Coventry are not his fault - he has inherited a club full of overpaid has beens. Next season they will be a different team albeit in the 1st Division!

True, but it could be argued that he filled leicester with over paid has beens.
He did a great job for us, he brought in seasoned pro's who could be counted on to do the job in the lower divisions, however his record at a higher level doesn't bare close examination.
I think that if you are in lower reaches of league two and you want to get promoted to the champioship then MA is your man, for ever a legend in the lower leagues methinks:(
 






Stumpy Tim

Well-known member
Smart Mart said:
In a Brighton context only, Micky Adams was the best manager here for a long, long time, next comes McGhee, then Coppell then Taylor.

I would put Taylor from the bottom of that list to the top - it was a shame he didn't hang around. Tinkered with the squad just enough to get us the Championship (Junior Lewis for example), and he has the best record of any Brighton manager ever.
 


Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,952
Surrey
Stumpy Tim said:
I would put Taylor from the bottom of that list to the top - it was a shame he didn't hang around. Tinkered with the squad just enough to get us the Championship (Junior Lewis for example), and he has the best record of any Brighton manager ever.
He also behaved far more honourably than Adams - walking out only after the job was done, he had discussed the situation with the chairman and left him the whole summer to find a replacement. I never understand the anti-Taylor sentiment on here from some people.
 




Hunting 784561

New member
Jul 8, 2003
3,651
Maybe the fact that Taylor was unemployed for over 6 months after leaving us before being snapped up by, er , Hull City, is a far more realistic assesment of the man's abilities.
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
The anti Taylor is IMHO because he told Dick Knight the truth, the squad was not good enough to stay up, and was proved right unfortunately.

I do not think that it is now and if we do it wil be a testament to the managerial ability of MM. I believe that we are 4 players off of a reasonable championship side who wil be able to hold our own.
 


Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
London Irish said:
Why did he bother to come to all the way down to march on Brighton seafront for a "two-bit" club? Not surprised you got flamed.

[

Possibly because he realised, after his tribulations at Leicester, that he was still liked and respected by the fans of two bit club who had the best Chairman he'd ever worked with. It was about the same time that he came to a game at Withdean to get away from the flack of La Manga "because I knew I'd be amongst friends" or words to that effect.

The way he touted himself whilst he was here showed a lack respect for a club who had given him a way back after previous bad experience at Brentford and Swansea. It would also give credence to the fact that he did think of us as a bit of a two bob club.
 


Icy Gull said:
The way he touted himself whilst he was here showed a lack respect for a club who had given him a way back after previous bad experience at Brentford and Swansea. It would also give credence to the fact that he did think of us as a bit of a two bob club.

More sophistry soaked in vinegar.

He came to Withdean at La Manga time to watch one of his players Trevor Benjamin, who'd he'd persuaded to come on loan to us as a favour to Dick Knight.
 




Dick Knights Mumm

Take me Home Falmer Road
Jul 5, 2003
19,736
Hither and Thither
LI - did you never get the feeling that MA thought he was better than the Club ? I liked the bloke, and thought him a great manager, but he always had his eye on the exit door.

And he was a great manager for us - to qualify that - he was a great man-manager. I don't think he was all that tactically - but he mainly bought proven winners - and created the team spirit that every manager since has remarked upon.
 


Pavilionaire

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
31,267
Smart Mart said:
Maybe the fact that Taylor was unemployed for over 6 months after leaving us before being snapped up by, er , Hull City, is a far more realistic assesment of the man's abilities.

I think the choice of Hull wasn't a bad one.

Decent new stadium, great support, a bit of money available, i.e. plenty of scope to get into the Championship and make a mark. I think they will get promoted and do OK in the CCC for a few years to come, whether or not he stays.

I do think he under-estimated the Albion's ability to stay in this division though, although I'm also surprised nobody did come oin for him in that 6 month period because he's a good manager, better than the likes of Pardew, Peter Reid, Wise, Lawrence etc.
 


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