Lucky Micky Adams; back as a Valiant after being a failure at the Blades
Micky Adams is back as Port Vale boss just over four months after he left the club for Championship Sheffield United where he was a bit of a disaster, winning just four of his 24 games in charge and seeing them get relegated into the third tier, where at least they have a Steel City derby to look forward to!
The former Brighton, Leicester and Coventry manager was dismissed from the Blades last week and was immediatley picked up by the Valiants, signing a three-year contract with the Staffordshire club.
Adams left firmly in the League Two promotion race and certainly one of the ebst sides seen at Roots Hall up to that time, but a poor run under replacement Jim Gannon, who was involved in a well-publicised bust-up with his assistant Geoff Horsfield, saw them eventually finish outside the play-offs in 11th.
Gannon was sacked in March, with coach and ex-Vale keeper Mark Grew placed in caretaker charge, but Adams is now back for a second go, with defender Gareth Owen signing a new two-year deal as player-coach.
Adams told www.port-vale.co.uk: "I'm delighted to be given the opportunity to come back to Vale Park and hopefully finish the job I had started here. I always said that Sheffield United would be the only club to tempt me away from Vale and, ultimately, I let my heart rule my head. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I have followed Vale's fortunes closely since I left in January and no-one is more disappointed than me that the club did not achieve promotion this season. I still believe that there is the talent, drive and potential to do well in League Two and this summer we will regroup, assess our position and come back refreshed for the campaign ahead. It is important not to dwell on the past."
Jim Bentley; The Shrimps keeping their budget under control by promoting a player!
Meanwhile, Morecambe have appointed their captain and long-serving centre-back Jim Bentley as player-manager on a two-year contract, well it keeps the budget down.
The Shrimps parted company with Sammy McIlroy earlier in the week and have now turned to their veteran defender.
34-year-old Bentley has made over 300 appearances during nine years with the Lancashire boys and is looking forward to embarking on his managerial career.
Bentley told www.morecambefc.com: "It's a real honour and a fantastic opportunity for me and I am extremely proud to have been given the chance to take this club forward, one that I love so much forward. I have had a wonderful nine years at Morecambe as a player and it is like a second home to me. I can't wait to get started because I am so excited about the role. The board of directors has shown great faith in me and I can assure everyone that I will give this job absolutely everything I have and show the same sort of attributes I showed as a player. I have always given 100% and I will expect nothing less than 100% from anyone who puts on a Morecambe shirt. I know I am pretty young but that doesn't worry me. I look at what someone like Eddie Howe, who is younger than me, has achieved in the game and I can take a lot of positives from that. I have always had a fantastic relationship with the supporters of this club and I am sure they will be right behind me."
Laurie Sanchez; already at the Bees as a consultant, now he's the main man
Former Fulham, Wycombe and Northern Ireland boss Lawrie Sanchez has been given the manager's position at Barnet.
Bees legend Giuliano Grazioli is staying on as his assistant after keeping them in the League with a dramatic win on the final day of the season at Underhill that sent Tilly's Lincoln down to the Conference, where Sanchez had been serving as a consultant since April when Mad Dog Martin Allen did his midnight flight to Notts. County.
Sanchez told www.barnetfc.com: "I am very pleased to be back in the game - although it can be frustrating at times. Being at Barnet in recent weeks has rekindled my love for the game - that was the third time I have been involved in saving clubs from relegation...Wycombe and Fulham before this. I am pleased that Giuliano Grazioli is to be part of my staff and I must say that I have been impressed with the players here. The form in the final games ranked as automatic promotion form and I am sure a lot more can be achieved with the players here. I have known the chairman through football over the years and was pleased to get his call to come in as a consultant. I am sure we will have a good working relationship."
Best of luck to you all, except when we come to play you next time around!