Owner lifts lid on Adams talks

Chairman Norman Smurthwaite criticises former Chairman Paul Wildes for almost sacking the manager and claims that he wants Adams to stay.

He is a good guy, a genuine guy, a guy who does what he says he will do…

Speaking at Thursday’s Supporters Club meeting Smurthwaite commented:  “I bought the club because Micky Adams was the manager. I was in reverence to him.

“At the Bristol Rovers game he nearly got the sack, and it wasn’t me who was going to sack him.

“This guy has had five different chairman in a very short period of time. He was promised lots of things by the last chairman which I knew nothing about.

“He is a good guy, a genuine guy, a guy who does what he says he will do.

“I want him to stay but I want him to stay for the right reasons.

“One of his concerns is he doesn’t know if I will even be here at the end of the season, because all this crap is not doing my health much good.

“So I have said to him that he is in the chair, if a Championship club or someone of a bigger challenge comes along between now and March time he should seriously consider it if that’s what he wants to do.

“He would sign a contract now. But I don’t think that’s fair on him, I really don’t. If I can’t give him my testimony that I am here for x number of years – and I have to be honest with you, this is not what I signed up to – I would want to at least have a clause in there.

“I am giving the guy space because I believe he needs space because he has had five years of turmoil upstairs.

“He doesn’t want to go, but he doesn’t want another five years of turmoil. I don’t think he deserves that.”