King Micky I: Adams and the Brighton & Hove Albion reformation

Micky Adams will always be amongst the most fascinating managers in Brighton history. His two spells in charge were polar opposites of each other, almost as if they were led by two completely different people.

Think of Henry VIII. Not because Adams had six wives, beheaded a couple of them and fell out with the Pope. But because of the contrast in reigns.

Henry started out as a good monarch, sensible, reasonable and pleasant. Then in January 1536, he was involved in a jousting accident which left him unconscious for two hours.

His behaviour changed drastically as a result of this blow to the head. Henry became irascible, intolerant, violent and tyrannical. Chalk and cheese compared to the King he once was. Just as Adams I was cheese compared to the chalk of Adams II.

Everybody knows that Adams’ second spell as Albion boss between 2008 and 2009 was a total and unmitigated disaster.

This makes it an absolute joy to write about, filled with such comedy moments as losing 1-0 to nine-man Walsall and missing out on Wembley by failing to beat the side rock bottom of the Football League in the Paint Pot Southern Section Final.

Seven years earlier though and it was Micky Adams who had reformed Brighton on-the-pitch, which is what we are here to talk about.

His first spell saw the club win its first promotion for 13 years and its first league title for 36 years – and it was pretty much all down to him.

Of the regular players who become Division Three champions in the 2000-01 season, only Kerry Mayo and Gary Hart were at the club when Adams was appointed in April 1999.

His total overhaul of an entire squad was arguably the most dramatic in Brighton history. It was certainly the most successful.

Micky Adams took over a Brighton side sitting 15th in the fourth tier of English football, having ended the previous two seasons in 23rd position.

By the time Adams quit for the job of assistant manager at Leicester City two-and-a-half years later, the Albion were near the top of the third tier.

They had risen 39 places in the football pyramid in 30 months. Although Adams’ departure to become a number two left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth, his legacy lived on as the squad he built went onto win another title and promotion into the second tier under his successor Peter Taylor.

Aside from results and performances, the biggest difference between Adams I and Adams II was ruthlessness.

When Brighton were beaten at home by Huddersfield Town in November 2008, Adams infamously said afterwards: “The players are giving their absolute maximum at the moment and some of them need a cuddle.”

Compare that to Adams I, who the players apparently used to call ‘Hitler’ behind his back because he was so tough on them.

The ruthless streak of Adams I was seen within months of his appointment. He needed only the final five games of the 1998-99 campaign to conclude that 14 of his squad were not good enough and so he got rid that summer.

There was no room for sentiment. Stuart Storer was still the hero who had scored the last goal at the Goldstone Ground and played 27 times in 1998-99. Not even Storer was safe from the cull.

Jeff Minton meanwhile turned down a new contract to try his luck in the second tier with former Albion boss Brian Horton at Port Vale.

Super Richie Barker also opted to leave, joining Macclesfield Town to be closer to his ill father living in the north of England.

Adams made 11 new signings in the summer of 1999, giving Brighton a new-look squad to go with their new home ground at Withdean Stadium.

The likes of Paul Rogers, Charlie Oatway, Paul Watson, Andy Crosby and Darren Freeman would go onto play big roles in Brighton’s success.

Another six players would arrive over the course of the 1999-00 season, including Danny Cullip, Warren Aspinall, Bobby Zamora and Paul Brooker.

Brighton started 1999-00 in glorious fashion, marking their return to the city following a two-year exile in Gillingham with a 6-0 win over Mansfield Town.

That result helped the Albion on their way to becoming early Division Three leaders. Looking resplendent in their stylish Errea kits with Fatboy Slim and Skint records providing the coolest sponsor in English football, Adams had already created the best feelgood factor around the club in decades.

It did not last though. The sheer number of new players and speed of change meant results were inconsistent, so much so that Adams’ job looked like it was on the line on a couple of occasions.

To use Adams’ favourite phrase, Dick Knight kept the faith in his manager. Who knows how differently things might have turned out if Knight had got an itchy finger and listened to those among the Withdean faithful who felt Adams wasn’t delivering?

From February 2000 onwards, it began to come properly together for Brighton under Adams. A rangy teenage striker by the name of Zamora arrived on loan from Bristol Rovers, leading to the Albion going the final 14 games of the season unbeaten.

Even with such a run of form, Brighton still only finished 11th in the table. But it meant confidence was high of a promotion push in 2000-01, even before the summer acquisitions of players like Richard Carpenter, Nathan Jones, Lee Steele, Michel Kuipers and the permanent signing of Zamora for what was a huge outlay at the time of £100,000.

Confidence was so high in fact that the packed Albion away end sung “Bring on the Champions” before kick off on the opening day of the season at Southend United.

With wonderful predictability, Brighton ended up losing 2-0 at Roots Hall. Over the next three games, the Albion looked like relegation fodder rather than candidates for the title.

The woeful start to the season reached its nadir with a third loss in four, Football League newcomers Kidderminster Harriers winning 2-0 at Withdean on August Bank Holiday Monday.

Brighton were booed off afterwards and chants of Adams out rained down from the temporary stands. Knight though again held his nerve and from that point on, there was no looking back.

The Albion won the title by 10 clear points from nearest rivals Cardiff City. Much of the campaign was spent battling with Chesterfield, who were deducted nine points due to financial irregularities to finish third.

Even without the deduction, the Albion would have been crowned champions. That is how dominant Brighton were of Division Three under Micky Adams in 2000-01, with their title win confirmed in glorious fashion by beating Chesterfield of all teams.

Cullip powered in a second half header for the only goal of a game which had kicked off with the Spireites greeted to the Withdean pitch by a giant brown envelope being passed over the heads of fans in the South Stand, referring to Chesterfield’s cheating.

The Albion played some superb football that season on their way to racking up 92 points. Brooker, Hart and Jones were magnificent down the wings in providing the ammunition for Zamora, who breached the 30-goal mark. The set piece delivery of Watson had a major say in that, of course.

Kuipers established himself as one of the best shot stoppers in the division after a sticky start which saw him hauled at half time of his debut at Southend.

Cullip was the definition of a no-nonsense defender and an inspirational leader, even if it were Rogers who wore the armband. No other side could compete with the Albion’s midfield three of their captain, Oatway and Carpenter.

But Micky Adams also built a Brighton side full of characters. Rarely outplayed, they were never outfought. Adams had them well-drilled, resolute, organised and determined.

Whereas confidence bordering on arrogance (but ultimately, well-placed confidence) had been the prevailing mood amongst Brighton fans going into the 2000-01 season, 2001-02 in the third tier was different.

Nobody was entirely sure how the Albion would fare, now up against clubs with huge budgets such as Reading, Stoke City and Wigan Athletic.

Midtable would suffice in the eyes of some. Maybe Zamora’s goals would be enough for a playoff push. A 0-0 draw on the opening day at Cambridge United offered little indication of what was to come.

Brighton then beat much-fancied Wigan 2-1 at Withdean in their first home game of the season. By the time Adams left two months later, the Albion had won six, drawn four and lost only two of their opening 12 matches.

They say in football never go back. Adams is Exhibit A. But if you can ignore his second spell, then Micky Adams is up there as one of the most important Brighton managers of all time for the way in which he transformed the club from perennial bottom tier strugglers to back-to-back champions.