FORMER Colchester United assistant manager Micky Adams was officially unveiled as the new manager of Port Vale.

Adams joins Vale

FORMER Colchester United assistant manager Micky Adams was officially unveiled as the new manager of Port Vale.

Adams spent six months as the No. 2 to then-U's boss Geraint Williams, before leaving in January, 2008, to fulfil his quest of a return to full-time management.

He had succeeded Mick Harford as the U's assistant, at the end of the club's superb first season in the Championship.

The 47-year-old achieved his aim of a quickfire return to management, at one of his previous clubs Brighton, but departed by mutual consent last February with the Seagulls struggling in the relegation zone.

In fact, Adams has had no shortage of managerial jobs over the seasons. He has now chalked up eight clubs in 13 years, not including his assistant role with the U's. He has been in charge at Fulham, Swansea (just three days!), Brentford, Nottingham Forest (caretaker), Brighton (twice), Leicester and Coventry.

Adams said: "I have not been given the opportunity to build in the past, because people at clubs have demanded instant success. This club needs stability and somebody to put building blocks down - I want to be that man.

"I'm young in terms of being a manager, but I've had fantastic experience at all levels."

One of Adams' key players at Port Vale will be former Colchester defender Sam Stockley, who spent three years at Layer Road between 2002 and '05. Stockley has operated both as a full-back and centre-half at Vale Park, since his arrival last summer. He too wants to go into management once his playing career is over.