Derek Adams: Morecambe reappoint former Bradford City boss as manager
- Published
Derek Adams led Morecambe to promotion last season before leaving to join Bradford
League One strugglers Morecambe have reappointed Derek Adams as manager, less than nine months after he left the club to join Bradford City.
Adams led the Shrimpers to the third tier for the first time in their history last season, via the play-offs.
He quit to join League Two Bradford days later, but left the Bantams on 15 February after eight months in charge.
Adams replaces Stephen Robinson, who left Morecambe to join Scottish Premiership side St Mirren on Tuesday.
The Lancashire club are 21st in League One, two points from safety.
Ex-Shrimps player John McMahon has also returned as assistant manager, having left the role in December.
Former Ross County boss Adams, 46, won promotion from League Two with Plymouth Argyle in the 2016-17 season before leading the Pilgrims to a seventh-place finish in the third tier the following campaign.
The Scot was sacked by Argyle in April 2019, prior to their relegation to League Two, before making the switch to the Mazuma Stadium in November 2019.
He led Morecambe to safety in his first season, guiding the side to League One thanks to a 1-0 win over Newport County at Wembley in the play-off final the following campaign.
However, Adams' brief spell at Bradford did not go to plan, winning only nine of 37 games in all competitions.
Analysis - 'Adams could be a hero come the end of the season'
BBC Radio Lancashire's Derek Quinn
The return of Derek Adams to Morecambe seems like the start of chapter two in what has been a bit of a fantasy football journey with a few twists and turns.
Adams performed something of a modern day football miracle when he took a Morecambe side that were favourites for relegation to the National League to League One in just 18 months.
He became a hero when he took the Shrimps to their highest ever Football League position with a fairytale Wembley play-off win only to leave the club for Bradford City just hours after lifting the trophy.
It was a decision that shocked and angered a number of Shrimps fans and certainly put a dampener on their celebrations.
Unfortunately for Adams the Bradford dream quickly turned sour, but with Stephen Robinson's swift departure on Monday, the opportunity for a swift return to the Mazuma Stadium became a real possibility.
The Morecambe board acted quickly and with Adams available and looking for another challenge, the decision looked an obvious one.
Only a handful of players remain from Adams' previous reign and he has a big job to do to ensure the Shrimps avoid relegation, but the team is playing well at the moment and Adams could well be a hero again come the end of the season.