The Longside Reference

Burnley Manager from Feb 1970 till Jan 1976

Jimmy Adamson was one of Burnley's greatest ever players, and in the greatest of traditions followed Harry Potts into the Turf Moor hot seat.

When Jimmy's playing career ended in 1964 aged 35, he moved into a ready made coaching role under the management of Potts. He was perfect foil for Potts in the early days, when he finally took over from Potts in February 1970 Adamson made a statement to the press which would lead to his downfall "His Team of the Seventies" were relegated in his first full season.

Two seasons out of the top flight were long enough as Jimmy sold and signed and shuffled his pack to get a settled squad capable of not only returning but staying in the top flight for a long time.

Possible the last of Burnleys great teams was under Adamson's tutelage, the team of 1972/73 and 73/74.

The squad of 1972/73 which he had built won promotionto the First Division, it was full of heroes, Stevenson, Docherty, Newton, Waldron, Dobson, Thompson, Ingham, Casper, Fletcher, James, Thomas, Collins, and Nulty. Adamson's team won the second division with only 13 players playing more than 3 games, this was the era of substitutes, but out of  the 42 League games played, Adamson used the substitute just 14 times, 7 of those would be the "Ginger Pele" Billy Ingham.

The team of the seventies it wasn't, but one of the most settled teams in Burnleys history it was.

The following season was much of the same, again just 13 players playing the majority of the games, the immaculate Casper who's injury plagued last few seasons would replaced by the youngster Ray Hankin, and the full back Docherty replaced by the man who almost single handedley stopped us reaching Wembley in the League Cup in 1968 Peter Noble.

A very respectable finish of 6th in the first division was followed by a semi final defeat to Newcastle United, Adamson's and his team were starting to fill his prophecy.

1975/76 Adamson's last full term as manager ended in success off the field as the Bob Lord stand was opend (built with the money from the sale of Burnleys last England International Martin Dobson). 10th was a great finish, Adamson and Burnley started to look the part again in the top flight.

By the January of the following season, Adamson had left the defeat to Harry Potts Blackpool in a third round FA Cup tie was too much to take, he resigned straight after that game he said at the time "I am resigning for the good of the club, I am the one who had to be responsible when things started to go wrong, It is wrong to blame anyone but the manager". With that he left leaving Joe Brown his trusted assistant to take charge.

Burnley were 21st in the league with 18 games still to play, 13 points were secured by the new manager Brown but it was not enough to save Burnley .They finished 21st in the First Division 5 points away form safety.

Adamson the Best Post War English player not to be capped! Adamson who was offered the England Job as Manager before he had retired, a man so in love with Burnley he turned down a huge amount of Money to coach in America.

He Captained the side which won the First Division, He lead the team out at Wembley in 1962, He is the only Burnley player in history to win the coveted " FA's Player of the Year" award.

After Burnley Jimmy coached in Holland, he managed Sunderland replacing Mackem hero Bobby Stokoe, his last management job was at Leeds United where he replaced the late great Jock Stein.

A true Claret player and anager, Another from the honorable Footballing school that  football these days seem to have lost.