Micky Adams faces his former employers this weekend
ALBION'S CUP TRIP to Port Vale has thrust the spotlight on former Seagulls boss Micky Adams. Now in his second successful spell at Vale Park, Adams is best remembered for his first spell with Albion. He led the team on their return from exile at Gillingham and onto the club's first silverware in almost forty years, by winning the Division Three title. He also laid the foundations for a second successive title 12 months later. Second time around things didn't work out - but there are no doubting his managerial credentials when you review his two decades in coaching and management. Never one to seek the limelight, the man dubbed 'Little Legs' by his 2001 title winners can rightly expect a standing ovation this Saturday from Albion's away following.*
ADAMS'S MOST-FAMOUS signing remains Bobby Zamora, but it's a little-known tale that one of the club's most prolific strikers may never have joined us had a coin toss gone the other way. Adams revealed in a BBC Football Focus interview that he had two loan options when he signed Zamora initially; he and assistant Alan Cork couldn't pick between the two and decided to toss a coin, which came down in Zamora's favour. Who the other player was Adams has never revealed, but we know the following summer - when Zamora arrived permanently for £100,000 - he was keen on Steve Howard; then at Northampton, he went onto have very successful spells with Derby County and Leicester City.*
AWAY FROM THE FA Cup build up, and it is fantastic to see long-term injury victims Craig Mackail-Smith and Will Hoskins back in training. The new year brings new hope, and Inside Albion can reveal Hoskins has been quietly working extra hard for some time to return earlier than scheduled. Both still have at least a couple of weeks before they'll be up to a first-team return - but it's great to see both back in first-team training.*
ALBION'S MEDIA TEAM visited Seagulls Over London this week and it is easy to guess what most of the talk centred around. With the club competing at the level it is now it is difficult to give fans (or media) complete transparency when it comes to various transfer dealings - so it was a case of tight lips all round. Along with the London group, the club have worked with various regional groups, providing club directors, staff, players and even managers to offer insight into the club, ever since Dick Knight took over the Albion in 1997.*
PRIOR TO THE Seagulls Over London appointment, the media team also visited the Football League to meet with their new digital director Russell Scott. He joined the League last year and has excellent credentials having worked for a major newspaper group's digital section. Scott's task is to overhaul the existing platform, exploit various new media opportunities and bring club's sites up to date with a new strategy - not easy while also dealing with the day-to-day wants and needs of over 70 clubs. Earlier signs are encouraging, and fans will be pleased to hear our voice is being heard; we will bring you news of developments over the coming weeks and months.*
THE PROPOSED BEAMBACK of next week's game at Burnley hasn't been possible. Both the League and Burnley were supportive - sympathetic of Albion fans' gruelling away schedule - but full confidence in the technology and production costs have made it prohibitive to undertake. The club was even prepared to take a small loss on the beam back to ensure as many Albion fans as possible could see the game, but costs of filming, editing, transmission and engineers meant the overall costs didn't quite stack up. The club will however look at other opportunities to do this as the season progresses.*
INSIDE ALBION WOULD like to sign off this week by wishing Adam El-Abd the very best for the future. A great servant, we will be watching his career with great interest moving forward. Good luck Adam and thanks for the memories.
Albion v Doncaster at the Amex on February 8th, 3pm kick off. Tickets available online, at the Amex Ticket Office or via the telephone on 08443271901.
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