Jimmy Adamson
Encyclopedia
James "Jimmy" Adamson was an English
professional footballer
and football manager. He was born in Ashington
, Northumberland. He made 476 appearances for Burnley
ranking him sixth in their all-time appearance list.
in January 1947 after playing non-league football in his native Ashington and working as a miner
. His early career was interrupted by National Service
, which he completed with the Royal Air Force
, meaning his debut had to wait until February 1951, when Burnley played away to Bolton Wanderers
. He played once for the England
B team, but never made the full England side.
He was an ever-present as Burnley won the 1959-60 Football League Championship
and captained the side to the 1962 FA Cup Final which they lost against Tottenham Hotspur
. He was also named Footballer of the Year in 1962.
Adamson formed a midfield partnership with inside-forward Jimmy McIlroy
, around which much of Burnley's creative play was centred.
and was the Football Association
's preferred choice of manager ahead of Alf Ramsey
but declined the offer.
In February 1970, when Burnley manager Harry Potts
was made general manager, Adamson stepped up to become team manager. Burnley were relegated at the end his first full season in charge, but returned to the top-flight in 1973, winning the Second Division
title.
Burnley were relegated again in 1976, although Adamson had already left that January. In May 1976 he was appointed as manager of Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam
, but left the following month. In November 1976 he was made manager of Sunderland
, but was unable to prevent them from relegation from the First Division.
He left Sunderland in November 1978, taking over from Jock Stein
as manager of Leeds United. His time at Leeds is well remembered for the huge roars of "Adamson Out" with which the crowd greeted his later appearances. He left Leeds in October 1980. He took no further part in professional football and spent the rest of his life in Burnley.
Adamson died on 8 November 2011, aged 82. He was predeceased by his wife, May, and daughters, Julie and Jayne. He is survived by three granddaughters and two grandsons.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
professional footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and football manager. He was born in Ashington
Ashington
Ashington is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England with a population of around 27,000 people; it was once a centre of the coal mining industry. The town is located some north of Newcastle upon Tyne off the A189. The south of the town is bordered by the River Wansbeck...
, Northumberland. He made 476 appearances for Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
ranking him sixth in their all-time appearance list.
Playing
Adamson, a right-half, joined BurnleyBurnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
in January 1947 after playing non-league football in his native Ashington and working as a miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
. His early career was interrupted by National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
, which he completed with the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, meaning his debut had to wait until February 1951, when Burnley played away to Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
. He played once for the England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
B team, but never made the full England side.
He was an ever-present as Burnley won the 1959-60 Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
and captained the side to the 1962 FA Cup Final which they lost against Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
. He was also named Footballer of the Year in 1962.
Adamson formed a midfield partnership with inside-forward Jimmy McIlroy
Jimmy McIlroy
James "Jimmy" McIlroy MBE is a former football player, regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Burnley Football Club.-At Burnley:...
, around which much of Burnley's creative play was centred.
Coaching and managerial
He retired in 1964, having played 426 league games, and joined the Burnley coaching staff. He had previously coached the England team in the 1962 World Cup in ChileChile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and was the Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
's preferred choice of manager ahead of Alf Ramsey
Alf Ramsey
Sir Alfred Ernest "Alf" Ramsey was an English footballer and manager of the English national football team from 1963 to 1974. His greatest achievement was winning the 1966 World Cup with England on 30 July 1966...
but declined the offer.
In February 1970, when Burnley manager Harry Potts
Harry Potts
Harold "Harry" Potts was an English football player and manager.-Early life:Born in Hetton-le-Hole, County Durham, as was another well-known name in football, Bob Paisley. The duo spent much of their childhood playing various sports, but it was football that Potts loved most...
was made general manager, Adamson stepped up to become team manager. Burnley were relegated at the end his first full season in charge, but returned to the top-flight in 1973, winning the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
title.
Burnley were relegated again in 1976, although Adamson had already left that January. In May 1976 he was appointed as manager of Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....
, but left the following month. In November 1976 he was made manager of Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, but was unable to prevent them from relegation from the First Division.
He left Sunderland in November 1978, taking over from Jock Stein
Jock Stein
John 'Jock' Stein CBE was a Scottish association football player and manager. He became the first manager of a British side to win the European Cup, with Celtic in 1967...
as manager of Leeds United. His time at Leeds is well remembered for the huge roars of "Adamson Out" with which the crowd greeted his later appearances. He left Leeds in October 1980. He took no further part in professional football and spent the rest of his life in Burnley.
Adamson died on 8 November 2011, aged 82. He was predeceased by his wife, May, and daughters, Julie and Jayne. He is survived by three granddaughters and two grandsons.
Honours
BurnleyBurnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
- Champions 1959-60 Football League Championship
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
finalists: 1962