Can't say i know to much about him.. But sure some will remember. The club pays tribute to former Sunderland manager Jimmy Adamson, who has sadly passed away at the age of 82. Sunderland historian Rob Mason pays tribute. Jimmy Adamson managed Sunderland between 1976 and 1978. Sunderland were at a low ebb when Jimmy took over. They failed to score in his first nine league games in charge, prompting him to turn to youngsters Kevin Arnott and Shaun Elliott and finding a regular spot for Gary Rowell. Suddenly there were goals galore and form surged. However, that season saw Sunderland relegated by the narrowest of margins. Following his first and only full season in charge at Roker Park, Sunderland finished sixth in what is now the Championship. The team were eighth in the league when Adamson left for Leeds the following October, having only lost one game in their previous eight. On learning of the death of Jimmy Adamson, SAFC Chief Executive Margaret Byrne said: "Jimmy Adamson's stature in the game is undoubted. "As a hugely respected figure he came back to his native north east to serve Sunderland during a difficult spell. "He gave belief to young players and had the club heading in the right direction again when he moved on. Sunderland AFC would like to pay tribute to Jimmy Adamson and offer its condolences to Jimmy's family."
I believe we got him from Burnley after he had a very successful time there...As is still the norm in football, he wasn't given the time to really stamp his mark in his short time as our manager...
I remember the turnaround and we were hammering in ****loads of goals, from nowhere to 5-0, 6-1 etc, it was spectacular.
Adamson played centre-half for Burnley in the 1950s. Tough guy. But his management period here is odd. I once was ordering tickets from Roker Park by telephone in 1980, and the subject of Adamson came up. The guy in the office muttered : "Well we never would have got anywhere with a manager like him"! I was a bit gobsmacked, as a club official would normally never say something like that to a member of the public. He was clearly very disliked inside the club, though I don't know the reason.
I believe that might having something to do with him saying on TV that the caretaker manager who he replaced (might have been Arthur Cox, but couldn't be certain) had a place at the club, and then sacked him two days later...
He was the first manager after stokoe that I remember. I started my pilgrimage back in 1974/5 season with a handful of games with my dad, although my first full season wasn't until the 75/76 season which coincided with Adamson taking control. He wasn't universally loved to be fair but I think the memory of Bob Stokoe was still as everyone's favourite. His immediate successors in Ken Knighton and especially Alan Durban faired much better. Durban in particular was one of the best we have had in my 36 years and given financial support from Cowie could have achieved much more imo. Yet another case of what if about Sunderland I guess?
yes alan durban was a good manager for us and i agree with you cest if given more money we may have won something still good times in the 70 to be a sunderland supporter many away matches to go with all the home games great times
Yes, that's exactly what it was, Vince. Whether or not it reflected a wider opinion around the place, I can't honestly say.
After not scoring for what seemed like an eternity, I was in the Fulwell end when we scored against Bristol City, what a night that was
I think that turnaround in our fortunes under Adamson was a 6-0 win against West Brom, then 6-1 against West Ham and 4-0 against Boro. The kids who came through, Arnott, Elliott and Rowell were a real find. Shame we never held onto Adamson really.
Adamson left of his own accord, reckoning Leeds were bigger than us, No rose-tinted specs please. We didn't want him to go, He wanted to. Ok?
Too late. Those of us around at the time can remember the glory. What about the start of the season? 12 games without a goal until a twice-taken Billy Hughes penalty at Ipswich. Remember it all, not just the good stuff.
1976-77 was a hell of a season .A damson nearly kept us up ,when all seemed lost,seem to remember Macfarlane was holding the fort after bob stokoe became ill.the first win was at Coventry I think . The turn around was spectacular ,including beating WBA WHU and boro 16 goals in 3games . Nobody who was at the last 2away games of that season will ever forget Norwich 2 all and then the balls up at everton and the work of a certain jimmy hill on the same night .Who knows what would have happened if we had stayed up. Jimmy Adamson RIP the manager who made Bob Lee and Mel Holden look deadly!!!loved the Bob Lee song
I remember taking a mate to the game for his first time, and when the crowd sang his name he asked me why they were singing about chewing gum..
