Derek Adams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Derek Adams

Adams as manager of Bradford City in 2021
Personal information
Full name	Derek Watt Adams
Date of birth	(1975-06-25) 25 June 1975 (age 49)
Place of birth	Glasgow, Scotland
Height	5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Morecambe (manager)
Youth career
1991–1992	Aberdeen
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1992–1995	Aberdeen	0	(0)
1995–1996	Burnley	2	(0)
1996–1998	Ross County	72	(41)
1998–2004	Motherwell	159	(18)
1999–2000	→ Ayr United (loan)	4	(0)
2004–2005	Aberdeen	20	(4)
2005–2006	Livingston	25	(0)
2006–2009	Ross County	36	(4)
Total		318	(67)
Teams managed
2007–2010	Ross County
2011–2014	Ross County
2015–2019	Plymouth Argyle
2019–2021	Morecambe
2021–2022	Bradford City
2022–2023	Morecambe
2023–2024	Ross County
2024–	Morecambe
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Derek Watt Adams (born 25 June 1975) is a Scottish football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of EFL League Two club Morecambe.

Adams played professionally for six different clubs. He made over 300 league appearances during his playing career. As a manager, he has led teams in over 635 games. He has also helped his teams get promoted four times.

Adams first became manager of Ross County in 2007. He helped them win promotion from the Scottish Second Division in his first year. Two years later, his team reached the Scottish Cup Final. In 2010, he joined Hibernian as an assistant manager. He returned to Ross County the next year. There, he won the Scottish First Division and was named PFA Scotland Manager of the Year.

In 2015, Adams took over as manager at Plymouth Argyle. He led them to promotion from League Two in 2017. After leaving Plymouth in 2019, he became manager of Morecambe. He guided Morecambe to promotion to League One in 2021. He then moved to Bradford City. After leaving Bradford, he returned to Morecambe. He left Morecambe in November 2023 to manage Ross County again. He resigned from Ross County in February 2024 and returned to Morecambe for a third time in June 2024.

Early Life

Derek Watt Adams was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 25 June 1975.

Playing Career

Adams began his football journey with Aberdeen. However, he did not play for their main team. He then moved to the English club Burnley in the mid-1990s. After a couple of games there, he went back to Scotland. He joined Ross County in 1996.

In 1998, Adams transferred to Motherwell for £200,000. He played for Motherwell for six years. During this time, he also had a short loan spell at Ayr United. Adams scored in the 2002–03 Scottish Cup semi-final. His team lost that game against Rangers. In 2004, Adams moved back to Aberdeen. He played there for one year before joining Livingston in 2005.

Coaching Career

First Time at Ross County

In 2006, Adams returned to Ross County as a player and coach. In November 2007, he became the player-manager. This meant he was both a player and the team's manager. His last game as a player was in October 2007.

He led Ross County to win the Scottish Second Division championship in 2008. This meant they were promoted to the First Division. At 33 years old, Adams earned his UEFA Pro Licence. This is the highest coaching award in football. The next year, Adams guided Ross County to the 2010 Scottish Cup Final. They surprised many by beating top teams like Hibernian and Celtic. In the final, County lost 3–0 to Dundee United.

Assistant at Hibernian

Adams left Ross County on 11 November 2010. He joined Hibernian as an assistant manager. He worked alongside manager Colin Calderwood.

Second Time at Ross County

Derek Adams (middle) with Richard Brittain and Alex Cooper.

Adams left Hibernian on 19 May 2011. He returned to Ross County as manager. In his first season back, Adams led the club to win the 2011–12 Scottish First Division championship. This earned them promotion to the Scottish Premier League. County secured the championship with five games still to play. They had an amazing 34-game unbeaten run. They finished 24 points ahead of the second-placed team, Dundee. Adams was voted PFA Scotland Manager of the Year for that season.

Before the 2012–13 season, Adams signed seven new players. All of them were free agents, meaning their contracts had ended. After a good start, Adams was named SPL manager of the month for August. Their 40-match unbeaten league run ended with a 2–1 loss to St Johnstone. Adams said he was very proud of their long unbeaten streak. In November 2012, Adams brought in Neale Cooper as his assistant manager. Ross County had some tough games in late 2012. However, they started winning many games in late December. This helped them finish in 5th place in their first season in the top league. In January 2013, Adams made some changes to the team. The winning streak continued, and Adams won manager of the month awards for January and February. Adams signed a new contract with the club at the end of the 2012–13 season.

Ross County finished 7th under Adams at the end of the 2013–14 Scottish Premiership season. This was their second season in a row finishing above several other teams. Adams left Ross County on 28 August 2014.

Plymouth Argyle

Adams became the manager of Plymouth Argyle on 11 June 2015. In his first season in English football, he led Plymouth Argyle to the League Two Play-Off Final at Wembley. This was their first time in 20 years reaching this final. They lost the match to AFC Wimbledon. In the next season, Adams guided them to a 2nd-place finish. This meant they were promoted to League One.

In the 2017–18 season, Plymouth almost made it to the promotion play-offs. They finished in 7th position in League One. After a difficult second season in League One, Adams left the club on 28 April 2019.

First Time at Morecambe

On 7 November 2019, Adams became manager of Morecambe. He took over from Jim Bentley. Morecambe just missed out on automatic promotion on the last day of the 2020–21 season. They had to go into the play-offs instead. They played Tranmere Rovers in the semi-finals. Morecambe won 3–2 over two games. On 31 May 2021, Adams led Morecambe to promotion to the third tier of English football. This was the first time in the club's history. A penalty goal from Carlos Mendes Gomes in extra-time secured a 1–0 win against Newport County. Three days after this big win, on 3 June 2021, Adams left the club.

Bradford City

On 4 June 2021, Adams was confirmed as the new manager of Bradford City. He signed a three-year deal with the club.

On 15 February 2022, Adams left the club. His last match in charge was a 1–0 home defeat to Exeter City. The team was in 12th position at the time. Mark Hughes then became the new manager.

Second Time at Morecambe

On 24 February 2022, Adams returned to Morecambe. He took over after Stephen Robinson, who had replaced Adams, moved to Scotland.

On 20 November 2023, Adams left Morecambe again. He left to take on a new opportunity elsewhere.

Third Time at Ross County

Adams left Morecambe to become Ross County manager for a third time in November 2023. His first game back was a 0–0 draw.

Adams resigned from his position at Ross County on 7 February 2024. This was the day after a 5–0 defeat against Motherwell.

Third Time at Morecambe

On 3 June 2024, Adams was appointed Morecambe manager for a third time. He signed a rolling contract with the club.

Managerial Statistics

Honours

Player

Ross County

• Scottish Challenge Cup: 2006–07

Manager

Ross County

• Scottish First Division: 2011–12
• Scottish Second Division: 2007–08
• Scottish Cup runner-up: 2009–10

Plymouth Argyle

• EFL League Two second-place promotion: 2016–17

Morecambe

• EFL League Two play-offs: 2021

Individual

• PFA Scotland Manager of the Year: 2011–12
• Football / EFL League Two Manager of the Month: October 2015, September 2016, December 2020, November 2024
• EFL League One Manager of the Month: February 2018