Nigel Howard Adkins (born 11 March 1965 in Birkenhead, England) is a former footballer and is the manager of Championship club Southampton.
[edit] Playing career
As a player, Adkins was goalkeeper for Tranmere Rovers, Wigan Athletic and Bangor City.[1] He graduated from the University of Salford in physiotherapy.[2]
[edit] Managerial career
Adkins was in charge of Bangor City in the League of Wales, where he was at the helm for the Citizens' title wins in 1994 and 1995.
[edit] Scunthorpe United
Adkins was appointed caretaker manager by Scunthorpe United chairman Steve Wharton in November 2006, following the departure of the previous manager, Brian Laws. Adkins had previously held the role of physio at the club.[3] After his spell as caretaker he was appointed as permanent manager on 7 December 2006.[4]
As Adkins had been promoted to the manager's seat from the role of club physiotherapist, Scunthorpe supporters chanted "Who needs Mourinho, we've got our physio!" on the terraces of Glanford Park in his honour.[5]
Adkins guided Scunthorpe to promotion from League One to the Championship with three matches to spare on 14 April 2007, and they went on to seal the divisional title to end an absence of more than 40 years from the league's second tier.[6] The Sun newspaper named Adkins the "emergency boss of the year" in an article that looked at the match winning average of replacement bosses in the 2006–07 season following the departure of the previous manager.[7]
Scunthorpe were relegated from the Championship the following season, but returned via the League One playoffs in May 2009, playing at Wembley in consecutive months, having played Luton Town in the final of the Football League Trophy on 5 April.
They struggled once again in the higher division, but this time avoided relegation by finishing 20th and being five points clear of Sheffield Wednesday – the last relegated club.
[edit] Southampton
Adkins joined Southampton on 12 September 2010 after the Saints and Scunthorpe United agreed a compensation package. Adkins signed a three year contract, and was joined there by his former assistant at Scunthorpe, Andy Crosby.[8] He gained his first victory in charge in his third game winning 1–0 at Sheffield Wednesday, with Lee Barnard scoring the only goal. The good start to his tenure continued and he guided Southampton into the play-off part of the table for the first time in League One on 2 November 2010 after a 4–0 win over Dagenham & Redbridge. After this result, the club joined the League One promotion rush, which was expected of them at the start of the campaign, and before the slow start. On the clubs 125th anniversary match, Adkins saw his side beat Peterborough 4–1. This was the sixth home win in a row, the best home form for the football club since 1992. Adkins guided his team into the top two for the first time since being relegated, after a 4–0 win over Exeter City on New Year's Day 2011 and managed a victory against Premier League opposition in Blackpool just one week later, taking his side into the 4th round of the FA Cup. Just three days later it got even better as he led his side to a 6-0 win away to Oldham Athletic and in the process recorded their fifth straight victory. During Adkins' first transfer window at the club, he secured the contract of highly rated winger Adam Lallana for a new 4 and a half year contract. He signed winger Dany N'Guessan on loan from Leicester City, and signed Jonathan Forte on a 3 and a half year contract from Adkins' former club Scunthorpe United.
Under the guidance of Adkins, The Saints achieved a club record of clean sheets in one season. Beating the previous record of 19 set by Peter Shilton in the early 80s. Adkins guided his side to promotion into the The Championship after a 3–1 home win against Walsall on 7 May 2011, earning his third Football League One promotion in his managerial career. He also got acknowledged by the footballing authorities as he won the League One Manager of the Month for April 2011 after winning seven of the eight games that month and putting Southampton on the brink of promotion.
He then broke a 12 year hoodoo of not winning on the opening day of the league season by beating Leeds United at St. Mary's 3–1 and send them straight into second in the Championship. In the process, he also broke a record by leading Southampton to seven consecutive league wins for the first time in their history.
Two subsequent away wins, against Barnsley (1–0) and Ipswich (5–2) kept Southampton top of the Championship. The club record of consecutive league victories extended to 10 after a 1–0 win at home to Millwall. They suffered a minor blip in their next game, a 3–2 defeat at Leicester City but bounced back winning 3–1 in the second round of the League Cup at Swindon Town. Adkins then guided The Saints to two successive home wins in a week; 3–2 over Nottingham Forest and 4–1 against Birmingham City.
[edit] Managerial statistics
| Team |
Nat |
From |
To |
Record |
| G |
W |
D |
L |
Win % |
| Bangor City |
 |
1993 |
1996 |
&10000000000000116000000116 |
&1000000000000007400000074 |
&1000000000000001800000018 |
&1000000000000002400000024 |
&1000000000000006378999963.79 |
| Scunthorpe United |
 |
6 November 2006 |
12 September 2010 |
&10000000000000199000000199 |
&1000000000000008300000083 |
&1000000000000004400000044 |
&1000000000000007200000072 |
&1000000000000004171000041.71 |
| Southampton |
|
12 September 2010 |
present |
&1000000000000007800000078 |
&1000000000000004900000049 |
&1000000000000001300000013 |
&1000000000000001600000016 |
&1000000000000006282000062.82 |
| Total |
|
|
|
&10000000000000393000000393 |
&10000000000000206000000206 |
&1000000000000007500000075 |
&10000000000000112000000112 |
&1000000000000005242000052.42 |
- As of 28 January 2012
[edit] Honours
[edit] As a manager
- Bangor City
- Scunthorpe United
- Southampton
[edit] Individual
[edit] References
[edit] External links
|
|
|
(s) secretary (c) caretaker
|
|
