Derek Adams: Bradford City part company with manager after eight months in charge

Derek Adams won promotion from League Two with Plymouth and Morecambe

Bradford City have parted company with manager Derek Adams after eight months in charge at the League Two club.

Adams' last game in charge was Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Exeter City, his ninth loss in 31 league games that left the club 11th in the table.

The 46-year-old joined the Bantams from Morecambe in June, but won only nine of 37 games in all competitions.

Assistant boss Mark Trueman will take charge of first-team affairs, including Saturday's game against Oldham.

"A sustained period of consideration has led to this decision," Bradford chief executive Ryan Sparks said.

"It is felt that, with all things taken into account, the club must move in a different direction with regards to the role of first-team manager.

"We would like to thank Derek for his efforts while at Valley Parade, and wish him the very best for the future."

Bradford's appointment of Adams, who had just won promotion to League One with Morecambe before taking up the role, was geared towards repeating the feat.

That success with the Shrimps via the play-offs was the second promotion from League Two of Adams' career having previously taken Plymouth up.

However, a sustained challenge for promotion with the Bantams has not materialised, with the club currently eight points off a play-off place.

Adams himself responded to the pressure building on his future in his final post-match interview with BBC Radio Leeds, after the Exeter loss.

"If they're going to get a new manager in they're not going to get a manager as successful as myself in the door," he said.

"That's obvious to everyone, because my record is up there with everyone's in League Two.

"If they want to do that, then that's up to the football club, but I came to Bradford City from a League One club, to a League Two club to try to help them get out.

"I took a risk coming to this club. I gained promotion with Morecambe last season and Plymouth Argyle a few seasons before.

"When a football club is down on its luck for so many years, it's a difficult thing to turn very quickly.

"We put pressure on ourselves by saying we want promotion out of this league this season, but we still want to do that."

'Chasm between fans and Adams'

Analysis - Jonathan Buchan, BBC Radio Leeds sports editor

Eight months of inconsistent results, poor performances and increasingly combative post-game interviews had seen a chasm open between the former Morecambe boss and the Bradford City supporters. Once that divide appeared it was going to take something special for it to once again close.

Chants for a change at the helm were easy to hear during the Bantams' 1-0 loss to Exeter at Valley Parade last weekend, and his interview after the full-time whistle only seemed to anger and frustrate the fanbase further.

With many supporters contemplating whether they wanted to sign up for season tickets with the poor performances on display, you do feel that may have also had an impact on the decision taken by the club's hierarchy.

Ultimately they wanted a promotion charge, a full Valley Parade and a supportive fan base… Derek Adams wasn't able to provide any of those.

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