Tony Adams

Born in Romford, Adams grew up in Dagenham and was a pupil at Hunters Hall Primary School from 1971 to 1978 and then Eastbrook Comprehensive School from 1978 to 1983.{{cite web|url=http://www.lbbd.gov.uk/MuseumsAndHeritage/LocalHistoryResources/Documents/Infosheet52FootballpersonalitiesofBD.pdf|title=Football personalities of Barking and Dagenham|publisher=London Borough of Barking & Dagengham|access-date=22 February 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605124917/http://www.lbbd.gov.uk/MuseumsAndHeritage/LocalHistoryResources/Documents/Infosheet52FootballpersonalitiesofBD.pdf|archive-date=5 June 2012}} His cousin is fellow professional footballer Steve MacKenzie.{{cite web |url=http://nacoa.org.uk/news-and-events/news/2015/10/19/personal-experiences/ |title=Tony Adams, Lauren Booth, Geraldine James and Elle Macpherson share experience, strength and hopes |publisher=nacoa.org.uk |date=19 October 2015 |access-date=12 July 2019 |archive-date=12 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712115328/http://nacoa.org.uk/news-and-events/news/2015/10/19/personal-experiences/ |url-status=dead }}

Adams signed for Arsenal as a schoolboy in 1980,{{Cite web |date=2025-02-15 |title=Tony Adams |url=https://www.arsenal.com/historic/players/tony-adams |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=www.arsenal.com |language=en}} and made his first-team debut on 5 November 1983 against Sunderland, aged 17.Maidment (2008), p. 54. He accidentally put his shorts on back-to-front before the match. Then, with virtually his first touch of the ball during the game, he gave it away, leading to Sunderland's opening goal. He put the ball into the opponents' net, but the goal was disallowed. Adams became a regular player in the 1986–87 season, winning his first major trophy that season when playing in the Football League Cup Final win over Liverpool at Wembley.

On 1 January 1988, he became Arsenal captain at the age of 21,{{cite web|url=http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/gunners-greatest-players-no-3.-tony-adams|title=Gunners' Greatest Players – 3. Tony Adams|author=Arsenal.com|work=Official Arsenal Website|date=5–19 May 2008|access-date=24 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081212013429/http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/gunners-greatest-players-no-3.-tony-adams|archive-date=12 December 2008}} remaining as club captain for the next 14 years until his retirement.

Adams's strong discipline of the defence was considered a factor in Arsenal winning the League Cup in 1986–87 and then the First Division championship twice; the first in 1988–89 after a win over Liverpool in the final game of the season; the second in 1990–91, losing once all season.

Together with Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn and Steve Bould, Adams was part of the "famous back four" that lined up in Arsenal's defence, which under George Graham was renowned for its well-disciplined use of the offside trap.{{Cite news |last=Smyth |first=Rob |date=2009-05-08 |title=The Joy of Six: Great defences |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2009/may/08/joy-of-six-great-defences |access-date=2024-05-09 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} The backline achieved legendary status with its unyielding resilience, remaining formidable for over a decade. Arsenal notably conceded just 18 goals during their title-winning 1990–91 league season, and the four players amassed over 2,000 appearances for the club.Maidment (2008), p. 75.

In 1992–93 Adams was the captain of the first English side to win the League Cup and FA Cup double.{{cite web|author=Joe Lovejoy |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football--european-cupwinners-cup-smiths-strike-brings-arsenal-european-glory-battling-londoners-make-light-of-the-loss-of-wright-and-jensen-1433888.html |title=European Cup-Winners Cup: Smith's strike brings Arsenal European glory: Battling Londoners make light of the loss of Wright and Jensen |work=The Independent|date=5 May 1994 |access-date=6 December 2020}} In 1994, Adams led Arsenal to their first European trophy in 24 years by defeating favourites Parma 1–0 in the 1994 European Cup Winners' Cup final in Copenhagen.Maidment (2008), p. 67.

Despite this success, alcoholism increasingly blighted his life from the mid-1980s. He was reportedly often involved in fights in nightclubs, and on 6 May 1990 crashed his car into a wall in Rayleigh; his blood alcohol level was found to be more than four times the legal drink-drive limit. On 19 December that year, at Southend Crown Court,{{cite web|url=http://uk.askmen.com/top_10/sports/top-10-stupid-criminal-acts-by-footballers_4.html|title=Tony Adams|publisher=Ask Men|access-date=22 February 2014|archive-date=16 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216031322/https://uk.askmen.com/top_10/sports/top-10-stupid-criminal-acts-by-footballers_4.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.arsenal.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=519627|title=Stick Your Two Points Up Your Arsenal|first=Tim|last=Stillman|publisher=Vital Football|date=25 July 2010|archive-date=25 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925230420/http://www.arsenal.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=519627|url-status=dead}} he was sentenced to four months in prison, and freed after half of his sentence on 15 February 1991,{{cite news |last1=Watts |first1=Charles |title=27 years on: The inside story of Tony Adams' return from prison as told by those who were there |url=https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/news/arsenal-news-tony-adams-highbury-14297249 |access-date=12 October 2022 |publisher=Football London |date=16 February 2018}} but continued drinking for another six years. Adams in a 2024 interview said that in early 1996, aged 29, he was in a very dark period, not wanting to live when not playing football, unable to "do life". He was injured that February, removing football. One Sunday evening he drank seven bottles of chablis, so his (first) mother-in-law took the children.

From mid-1996, with help from a man he named only as "James W", he became one of the most high-profile recovering alcoholics in the UK;{{cite journal|url=http://www.ias.org.uk/What-we-do/Publication-archive/Alcohol-Alert/Issue-3-1998/Adams-turns-his-back-on-alcohol.aspx|title=Adams turns his back on alcohol - review of Adams's Addicted|author=Paul Whittaker|journal=Alcohol Alert|issue=1998–3|publisher=Institute of Alcohol Studies|date=March 1998}} his battle with alcohol is detailed in his autobiography, Addicted, which was released in May 1998 to critical acclaim. BBC News reported in 2001 that he had become tee-total.{{cite news|title=Battling the booze|work=BBC News|date=4 October 2001|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/1578718.stm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170728050312/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/1578718.stm|archive-date=28 July 2017}}

{{quote box

| quote = "When I first came to Arsenal, I realised the back four were all university graduates in the art of defending. As for Tony Adams, I consider him to be a doctor of defence."

| source = – Wenger hailing Adams' experience in 1997.{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-artistic-and-cultural-influence-of-arsenals-famous-back-four/ |title=The Artistic and Cultural Influence of Arsenal's Famous Back Four |date=9 February 2017 |last=Magee |first=Will |website=Vice |access-date=10 May 2024}}

| align = right

| width = 25%

}}Six weeks into Adams's sobriety, Arsène Wenger arrived as Arsenal manager in October 1996. Adams reflected in 2020 that Wenger understood his psychology, and knew of the dangers of alcohol, as his parents ran a pub.{{cite news |last1=Wrack |first1=Susy |title=Tony Adams: 'Alcohol gave me a good hiding – I needed a lot of pain' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/jan/31/tony-adams-alcohol-gave-me-good-hiding-i-needed-pain-sporting-chance-arsenal |access-date=12 October 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=31 January 2020}} Adams rewarded his manager's understanding handsomely, captaining the club to two Premiership and FA Cup Doubles, in 1997–98 and 2001–02.{{cite news |title=Tony Adams' career highs and lows |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/feb/09/tony-adams-career-profile-portsmouth |access-date=12 October 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=9 February 2009}}

In August 2002, just before the start of the 2002–03 season, Adams retired from professional football after a career spanning almost 20 years, his last match being the 2002 FA Cup Final.{{cite news |last1=Ridley |first1=Ian |title=Adams: the next chapter |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/aug/11/newsstory.sport12 |access-date=12 October 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=11 August 2002}} He played 674 matches for Arsenal (only David O'Leary has played more) and was the most successful captain in the club's history. The number 6 shirt that Adams wore when playing was not used again until the 2006–07 season, when it was assigned to Philippe Senderos.{{cite news |last1=Mannion |first1=Damian |title=From Ronaldo to Owen, Dalglish to Clough, Adams to Senderos: famous numbers worn by crap players |url=https://talksport.com/uncategorized/143783/ronaldo-owen-dalglish-clough-adams-senderos-famous-numbers-worn-crap-pla-175835/ |access-date=12 October 2022 |publisher=Talksport |date=4 July 2012}}

Just before his retirement as a player, Adams had applied to become manager of Brentford (who had just missed out on promotion to Division One) after the resignation of Steve Coppell, but his application was rejected.{{cite news

| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/2069118.stm

| title = Brentford snub Adams

| work = BBC Sport

| date = 27 June 2002

| access-date = 8 January 2009

| location=London}}

Nicknamed "Mr Arsenal", he was honoured by Arsenal with a testimonial game against Celtic in May 2002 with many Arsenal legends playing, including Ian Wright, John Lukic and Adams's fellow back four stalwarts, Dixon, Winterburn and Bould. The game finished 1–1 with Lee Dixon, in his final appearance for the Gunners, getting their goal.{{cite news |last=Brodkin |first=Jon |date=14 May 2002 |title=A night out for the Adams family |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/may/14/newsstory.sport1 |access-date=28 October 2008 |work=The Guardian |location=London}} In March 2003, just seven months after his retirement and with Arsenal BBC Sport named Adams as the former Arsenal player that the club would most benefit from returning.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/2872203.stm | work=BBC News | title=Blast from the past: Part one | date=24 March 2003 | first=Tom | last=Fordyce}}

In 2004, Adams was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his impact on the English game, and in 2008 he was placed third in the 50 Greatest Gunners poll on the club's website.

A statue of Adams was placed outside Emirates Stadium in celebration of the club's 125th anniversary on 9 December 2011. Manager Herbert Chapman and Arsenal's all-time top goal scorer Thierry Henry,{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Jeremy |title=Arsenal to unveil statues of Thierry Henry, Tony Adams, and Herbert Chapman for 125th anniversary |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/8939187/Arsenal-to-unveil-statues-of-Thierry-Henry-Tony-Adams-and-Herbert-Chapman-for-125th-anniversary.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/arsenal/8939187/Arsenal-to-unveil-statues-of-Thierry-Henry-Tony-Adams-and-Herbert-Chapman-for-125th-anniversary.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=2 September 2020 |work=The Telegraph |date=7 December 2011}}{{cbignore}} and later Dennis Bergkamp, were also immortalised with statues outside the ground.{{cite news |title=Arsenal unveil Dennis Bergkamp statue |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-26303200 |access-date=2 September 2020 |work=BBC News |date=22 February 2014}}

File:EK voetbal in West Duitsland Engeland tegen Nederland 1-3, Bestanddeelnr 934-2662.jpg at UEFA Euro 1988, as the Netherlands' Marco van Basten scores the first of his three goals]]

Adams made his debut for England against Spain in 1987, and played in UEFA Euro 1988. England lost all three games, but Adams scored one of England's two goals in the tournament in a 3–1 defeat to the Soviet Union. He was the first player to represent England who had been born after the 1966 World Cup win.

After a highly promising start to his international career, Adams suffered a series of setbacks during the early 1990s. He was surprisingly left out of the 1990 FIFA World Cup squad by manager Bobby Robson, missed UEFA Euro 1992 due to injury, whilst England failed to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. England reached the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 1996, before losing on penalties to Germany.

Adams appeared at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Later that year, he made headlines for several statements in his autobiography Addicted, criticising manager Glenn Hoddle for his management of David Beckham and Paul Gascoigne, and for making Alan Shearer captain instead of Adams; he also called Gascoigne an alcoholic, which was denied by the player's representatives. Hoddle told the press that he had no problems with Adams's opinions from the book.{{cite news |title=Hoddle and Adams 'closer than ever' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/163111.stm |access-date=12 October 2022 |publisher=BBC News |date=9 September 1998}}

His international swansong was England's unsuccessful UEFA Euro 2000 campaign. With Shearer retiring from international football after the tournament, Adams regained the captaincy. However, within months, England lost a World Cup qualifier to Germany in October 2000, the match being the last to be staged at Wembley Stadium, before the stadium was torn down for rebuilding. That match was Adams's 60th Wembley appearance, a record. With Sven-Göran Eriksson eventually taking the helm and under increasing pressure for his place from the emerging and improving Rio Ferdinand, Adams retired from international football, having made 66 appearances,{{cite web| url = https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/adams-intl.html| title = Tony Alexander Adams – International Appearances| access-date = 24 October 2008}} before Eriksson picked his first squad. He was the last England player to score at the old Wembley Stadium when he scored England's second goal in a 2–0 friendly win over Ukraine on 31 May 2000. This was also his first goal since he scored in a friendly against Saudi Arabia in November 1988, thus making the record for the longest gap between goals for England.

Adams was the first, and remains to date the only, England player to make tournament appearances in three separate decades.

Described as a "stopper" (or man–marking defender) by Tom Sheen of The Guardian in 2014, Adams played as a centre-back. A tall, brave, rugged, physical, and committed defender, his main traits were his leadership, aerial prowess, and his ability to read the game and time his tackles. While initially he was not known to be the most gifted player on the ball from a technical standpoint, he developed this aspect of his game under Wenger, and he later excelled as a ball-playing centre-back, in which he became known for his ability to carry the ball out from the back, as well as his penchant for undertaking individual runs.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/john-terry-captained-chelsea-for-the-500th-time-on-saturday-but-is-he-the-best-centre-back-of-the-9806372.html |title=John Terry captained Chelsea for the 500th time on Saturday - is he the best centre-back in the Premier League era? |work=The Independent |last1=Sheen |first1=Tom |date=20 October 2014 |access-date=27 April 2020 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2011/jan/19/nemanja-vidic-footballer-of-year|title=Judges have a blindspot when destroyers like Vidic play a blinder|work=The Guardian|author1=Rob Bagchi|date=19 January 2011|access-date=2 February 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.arsenal.com/history/gunners-greatest-players-no-3.-tony-adams |title=Greatest 50 Players - 3. Tony Adams |publisher=Arsenal |date=31 May 2017 |access-date=27 April 2020 }}{{cite web |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2733695-assigning-fifa-card-ratings-to-21st-century-arsenal-legends |title=Assigning FIFA Card Ratings to 21st Century Arsenal Legends |publisher=Bleacher Report |last1=MCNICHOLAS |first1=JAMES |date=19 September 2017 |access-date=27 April 2020 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/04/01/tony-adams-exclusive-interview-have-defied-odds-thought-dead/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/04/01/tony-adams-exclusive-interview-have-defied-odds-thought-dead/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Tony Adams exclusive interview: 'I have defied all the odds - I thought I'd be dead at 30' |work=Telegraph |last1=Eccleshare |first1=Charlie |date=1 April 2019 |access-date=27 April 2020 }}{{cbignore}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/06/defending-england-dna-roy-hodgson-centre-backs-euro-2016 |title=The lost art of defending: how style has replaced solidity in England's DNA |work=The Guardian |last1=Lawrence |first1=Amy |date=6 June 2016 |access-date=27 April 2020 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.goal.com/it/notizie/il-lato-oscuro-di-tony-adams-la-lunga-e-difficile-battaglia/ooksfjbsv3eh1dav8rlxafuer |title=Il lato oscuro di Tony Adams: la lunga e difficile battaglia contro l'alcol |publisher=www.goal.com |language=it |last1=Camedda |first1=Paolo |date=10 October 2020 |access-date=20 October 2020 }} However, he was also known for his lack of pace.{{cite web |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/terry-butcher-perfect-xi |title=Terry Butcher: Perfect XI |publisher=FourFourTwo |last1=Harper |first1=Nick |date=1 February 2006 |access-date=27 April 2020 }}{{cite news |title=Vieira the hero as Arsenal leave it late |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/vieira-the-hero-as-arsenal-leave-it-late-1.114338 |access-date=27 April 2020 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=9 December 1996}}

File:Arif Isayev komanda.jpgAfter starting a sports science degree at Brunel University, Adams became the manager of Wycombe Wanderers on 5 November 2003. He took over the team that were in last place in the Football League Second Division (third tier).{{cite news |last1=Ingle |first1=Sean |title=Excited Adams takes over at Wycombe |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2003/nov/05/newsstory.sport5 |access-date=12 October 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=5 November 2003}} On his debut three days later, he won 4–1 at home to Swindon Town in the first round of the FA Cup.{{cite news |title=Wycombe 4, Swindon 1 |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/wycombe-4-swindon-1-1668367 |access-date=12 October 2022 |work=Chronicle Live |date=9 November 2009}} After a 2–1 loss at Tranmere Rovers on 12 April 2004 left the Chairboys 12 points inside the relegation zone with four games remaining, Adams said that his team would carry on fighting; unbeknown to the club, they were already relegated as two teams above them still had to play each other.{{cite news |last1=Harrison |first1=Lindsay |title=Relegation belatedly sinks in at Wycombe |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/relegation-belatedly-sinks-in-at-wycombe-56061.html |access-date=12 October 2022 |work=The Independent |date=15 April 2004}}

Wycombe began 2004–05 in the fourth tier, renamed League Two. Although the club were top of the table in August 2004, a loss of form saw them fall down the table. Adams resigned from Wycombe on 9 November 2004, with the club in 17th, citing personal reasons.{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wycombe_wanderers/3995677.stm | title=Adams resigns as Wycombe manager | work=BBC Sport | date=9 November 2004 | access-date=25 March 2010 | location=London}}

In July 2005, Adams accepted a trainee coaching role with Dutch side Feyenoord with special responsibility for its Jong team, which is a reserve/junior side. Adams later had a short spell seconded to Utrecht as a first team trainee coach in January and February 2006. While at Feyenoord he also worked part-time as a scout for Arsenal, watching games in Italy, France and the Netherlands.{{cite web |url=http://www.setanta.com/US/Articles/Football/2009/06/03/Exclusive-Adams-on-Arsenal-interest/gnid-55518/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090607082940/http://www.setanta.com/US/Articles/Football/2009/06/03/Exclusive-Adams-on-Arsenal-interest/gnid-55518/|archive-date=7 June 2009|title=Exclusive: Italian job for Gunners|first=Chris|last=Stanton|publisher=Setanta|date=3 June 2009|access-date=22 February 2014}}

Adams joined Portsmouth as assistant manager to Harry Redknapp in June 2006, a position left vacant by the departure of Kevin Bond. In his first season as assistant, Portsmouth finished ninth in the Premier League – their highest standing since the 1950s and won the 2007–08 FA Cup. Adams was appointed caretaker manager of Portsmouth in October 2008, alongside Joe Jordan,

{{Cite news

| url = https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/oct/28/portsmouth-premierleague

| title = Adams set to be unveiled as new Portsmouth manager

| work = The Guardian

| date = 28 October 2008

| access-date = 28 October 2008

| first=John | last=Ashdown | location=London}}

following the departure of Harry Redknapp to Tottenham Hotspur. He was subsequently appointed full-time manager.{{cite news

|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/7693323.stm

|title = Adams appointed new Pompey boss

|work = BBC

|date = 28 October 2008

|access-date = 28 October 2008

|location = London

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090213182919/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/7693323.stm

|archive-date = 13 February 2009

|url-status = live

|df = dmy-all

}} He was sacked in February 2009 after just 16 games in charge in which Portsmouth picked up only 10 points.{{cite news|title=Pompey confirm Adams axe |url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4906973,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009014026/http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4906973,00.html |archive-date=9 October 2012 |work=Sky Sports |publisher=British Sky Broadcasting |date=9 February 2009 |access-date=11 February 2009}}

In May 2010, Adams signed a three-year contract to manage Azerbaijani club FC Gabala of the Azerbaijan Premier League.

{{Cite news

| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8675874.stm

| title = Tony Adams' grand plans for Azerbaijan football club

| work = BBC

| date = 11 May 2010

| access-date = 12 May 2010

| first=Tom

| last=Esslemont}}

He departed as coach of Gabala due on 16 November 2011, before the end of the 2011–12 season.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/tony-adams-quits-as-manager-of-fc-gabala-6264409.html|title=Tony Adams quits as manager of FC Gabala|newspaper=Independent|date=18 November 2011|access-date=22 February 2014}}

In October 2012, Adams returned to Gabala in the capacity of Sporting Director.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/19906843 |title=Tony Adams returns to FC Gabala in Azerbaijan – BBC Sport |work=BBC Sport |access-date=21 April 2019}}

Whilst sporting director at Gabala, Adams suffered from acute chest pain whilst exercising. At the Baku Medical Plaza he was diagnosed with a severely blocked vein and underwent a successful angioplasty. After disclosing the surgery, Adams said the minor heart operation saved his life.{{cite news |date=4 November 2015 |title=Tony Adams reveals heart surgery in Azerbaijan saved his life |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/nov/04/tony-adams-heart-surgery-azerbaijan-gabala-arsenal |access-date=2 September 2020 |work=The Guardian |agency=Press Association}}

On 10 April 2017, Adams was named as manager of La Liga strugglers Granada CF until the end of the 2016–17 season.{{cite web|title=Tony Adams named as Granada manager until end of season|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/apr/10/tony-adams-granada-manager-end-of-season?CMP=share_btn_tw|work=The Guardian|access-date=10 April 2017|date=10 April 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.granadacf.es/en/new/tony-adams-talks-about-his-role-at-granada-cf|title=Tony Adams talks about hifccfdds role at Granada CF|publisher=Granada CF website|date=10 April 2017|access-date=10 April 2017}} At the end of the season, Granada were relegated from La Liga ending their six-year stay in the top division. Adams lost all seven games as manager and was subsequently sacked.{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/tony-adams-granada-are-relegated-la-liga-a7709386.html|title=Tony Adams' Granada are relegated – now the real challenge starts|date=29 April 2017|website=The Independent|access-date=21 April 2019}}

Adams married Jane Shea in 1992, after they met at a nightclub in Islington; the couple had two children together, a son and a daughter. They divorced in 1997 amid the couple's substance abuse. Following his recovery from alcoholism, Adams married Poppy Teacher in 2004 and had three children together.{{Cite news |last=Murphy |first=Nichola |date=15 October 2022 |title=Strictly's Tony Adams gives update on addict ex-wife following prison sentence |url=https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/20221015154086/strictly-tony-adams-marriage-jailed-addict-ex-wife-jane-shea/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |work=Hello!}} Poppy is a fifth-generation descendent of whisky firm founder William Teacher.{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Richard |date=16 December 2004 |title=Adams marries whisky heiress |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/adams-marries-whisky-heiress-7213610.html |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=Evening Standard}}

In September 2000, as a result of his own experiences with alcoholism and drug addiction, Adams founded the Sporting Chance Clinic, a charitable foundation aimed at providing treatment, counselling and support for sports men and women suffering from drink, drug or gambling addictions. The clinic is modelled on the substance-abuse rehabilitation facility Crossroads Centre, founded by music artist Eric Clapton.

{{Cite news |last=Sengupta |first=Kim |date=21 August 2000 |title=Tony Adams to provide safe haven for alcoholic and drug-addict footballers |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/tony-adams-to-provide-safe-haven-for-alcoholic-and-drugaddict-footballers-710805.html |access-date=28 October 2008 |work=The Independent |location=}} The registered charity is supported by Elton John, Kate Hoey, Lee Dixon, Tony Smith, Tony McCoy, and Kelly Holmes.{{Cite web |date=February 2024 |title=The Football Association's Commitment to Support Victims of Discrimination |url=https://www.thefa.com/-/media/thefacom-new/files/rules-and-regulations/2023-24/28022024/the-fa-commitment-to-victims-of-discrimination.ashx |access-date=16 September 2024 |publisher=The Football Association |type=PDF}} Adams' Arsenal testimonial match in May 2002 also raised £500,000 for the foundation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Adams founded Six Mental Health Solutions (SIX MHS), an organisation that provides mental health and addiction services to employees across a range of partnered businesses.{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Guy |date=29 October 2022 |title='Oh my god, you're that dancer': Strictly's Tony Adams on how Arsenal fans see him now |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2022/10/29/oh-god-dancer-strictlys-tony-adams-how-arsenal-fans-see-now/?ICID=continue_without_subscribing_reg_first |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/JqQUj |archive-date=16 September 2024 |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}} SIX MHS has since formed partnerships with several organisations, including the building materials company Jewson in 2021,{{Cite web |date=10 May 2021 |title=Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 – Industry initiatives |url=https://professionalbuildersmerchant.co.uk/news/mental-health-awareness-week-2021-industry-initiatives/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=Professional Builders Merchant |publisher=Hamerville Media Group}} and the Football Writers' Association in 2024.{{Cite web |date=9 January 2024 |title=FWA teams up with Tony Adams' SIX MHS group |url=https://footballwriters.co.uk/editorial/fwa-teams-up-with-tony-adams-six-mhs-group/ |access-date=16 September 2024 |publisher=Football Writers' Association}} He is also a patron of the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACOA UK), The Forward Trust, School-Home Support (SHS), and Saving Faces, a facial surgery research foundation.{{Cite web |date=10 August 2022 |title=Football legend Tony Adams MBE is our latest signing for Strictly 2022! |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/strictlycomedancing/entries/d8da35e4-7f55-46ba-925f-038daccb32b1 |access-date=16 September 2024 |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation}}{{Cite web |title=The Facial Surgery Research Foundation - Saving Faces |url=https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/3972151 |access-date=16 September 2024 |publisher=Charity Commission for England and Wales}}

In December 2018, Adams was named as the 29th President of the Rugby Football League, replacing politician Andy Burnham;{{Cite news |last=Bower |first=Aaron |date=12 December 2018 |title=Tony Adams to become new president of Rugby Football League |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/dec/12/former-arsenal-captain-tony-adams-appointed-rugby-league-president |access-date=3 December 2019 |issn=0261-3077}} he was succeeded in the honorary role by broadcaster Clare Balding a year later.{{Cite web |last=Willacy |first=Gavin |date=14 July 2020 |title=Tony Adams: 'Hopefully people have had periods of reflection in lockdown' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/no-helmets-required/2020/jul/14/tony-adams-hopefully-people-have-had-periods-of-reflection-in-lockdown |access-date=16 September 2024 |website=The Guardian}} Adams also took part as a celebrity contestant in the twentieth series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2022. After partnering with dance professional Katya Jones, the duo placed ninth after Adams was forced to withdraw due to injury.{{Cite web |last=Nimoni |first=Fiona |date=14 November 2022 |title=Strictly Come Dancing: Tony Adams withdraws with an injury |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-63615618 |access-date=16 September 2024 |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation}} Adams also advised novelist Jilly Cooper on her 2023 book Tackle!{{Cite news |last=Cooke |first=Rachel |date=2023-11-12 |title=Tackle! review – Jilly Cooper takes on the beautiful game |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/nov/12/tackle-jilly-cooper-review-football |access-date=2025-04-22 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

{{notelist}}

:Scores and results list England's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Adams goal.

File:Tony Adams Statue - front (cropped).jpg]]

Arsenal

• Football League First Division: 1988–89, 1990–91
• Premier League: 1997–98, 2001–02
• FA Cup: 1992–93, 1997–98, 2001–02; runner-up: 2000–01
• Football League Cup: 1986–87, 1992–93; runner-up: 1987–88
• FA Charity Shield: 1991 (shared), 1998
• Football League Centenary Trophy: 1988{{Cite web |last=Pye |first=Steven |date=4 January 2017 |title=How Arsenal won the Centenary Trophy, the least celebrated title in their history |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/that-1980s-sports-blog/2017/jan/04/arsenal-centenary-trophy-title-football-league-history |access-date=27 March 2024 |website=The Guardian}}
• European Cup Winners' Cup: 1993–94
• UEFA Cup runner-up: 1999–2000
• European Super Cup runner-up: 1994

Individual

• English Football Hall of Fame: 2004{{Cite web |title=Tony Adams Hall of Fame profile |url=https://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/halloffame/tony-adams/ |access-date=27 March 2024 |publisher=National Football Museum}}
• Premier League Hall of Fame: 2023{{Cite web |date=3 May 2023 |title=Rio Ferdinand, Petr Cech and Tony Adams inducted into Premier League Hall of Fame |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65469143 |access-date=27 March 2024 |website=BBC Sport |publisher=}}
• Football League 100 Legends{{Cite web |date=4 August 1998 |title=Football Legends list in full |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/144986.stm |access-date=27 March 2024 |website=BBC Sport |publisher=}}
• PFA Young Player of the Year: 1986–87{{cite news |last=Keogh |first=Frank |date=20 April 2001 |title=Too much too young? |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/1287799.stm |access-date=7 July 2017 |work=BBC Sport |publisher=}}
• PFA First Division/Premier League Team of the Year: 1986–87, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97{{cite news |title=England Players – Tony Adams 1988 |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersA/BioAdamsTA.html |access-date=27 March 2024 |work=englandfootballonline.com |publisher=}}
• Ballon d'Or nominated: 1998{{Cite web |last=Pierrend |first=José |date=26 March 2005 |title=European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or") 1998 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/miscellaneous/europa-poy98.html |access-date=13 February 2025 |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation}}
• Premier League 10 Seasons Awards: (1992–93 to 2001–02){{cite news |date=14 April 2003 |title=Owen miss nets award |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2399669/Owen-miss-nets-award.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2399669/Owen-miss-nets-award.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |access-date=7 July 2017 |newspaper=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}
• Domestic Team of the Decade
• Overall Team of the Decade
• Premier League 20 Seasons Awards: (1992–93 to 2011–12){{cite news |date=15 May 2012 |title=Fergie & Giggs honoured |url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/7758225/fergie-giggs-honoured |access-date=7 July 2017 |work=Sky Sports |publisher=}}
• Public choice Fantasy Teams of the 20 Seasons
• Panel choice Fantasy Teams of the 20 Seasons
• FWA Tribute Award: 2002–03{{Cite web |date=19 January 2003 |title=FWA Tribute to Tony Adams a Success |url=https://footballwriters.co.uk/news/fwa-tribute-to-tony-adams-a-success/ |access-date=27 March 2024 |publisher=Football Writers' Association}}
• Arsenal Player of the Season: 1986−87, 1989−90, 1993−94Maidment (2008), p. 148.

Orders

• Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: 1999{{cite news |title= Adams seals recovery with a gong|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/1999/jun/12/newsstory.sport2|first=Jon|last=Brodkin|work=The Guardian|date=12 June 1999|access-date=7 July 2017}}

• {{Cite book |last1=Adams |first1=Tony |title=Addicted |last2=Ridley |first2=Ian |publisher=CollinsWillow |year=1999 |isbn=978-0002187954 |location=London |language=en}}
• {{Cite book |last1=Adams |first1=Tony |title=Sober: Football. My Story. My Life |last2=Ridley |first2=Ian |publisher=Simon & Schuster |year=2017 |isbn=978-1-4711-5674-8 |location=London |language=en |author-mask1=5 |author-mask2=5}}

• List of England national football team captains
• List of footballers in England by number of league appearances
• List of Arsenal F.C. players
• List of Portsmouth F.C. managers
• List of Wycombe Wanderers F.C. managers
• List of one-club men

{{reflist}}

• {{Cite book |last1=James |first1=Josh |title=Arsenal: The Complete Record |last2=Andrews |first2=Mark |last3=Kelly |first3=Andy |date=15 October 2018 |publisher=deCoubertin Books |isbn=978-1-909245-75-4 |location=Liverpool |language=en}}
• {{cite book |last1=Maidment |first1=Jem |url=https://archive.org/details/officialarsenale0000maid |title=The Official Arsenal Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive A-Z of London's Most Successful Club |date=2008 |publisher=Hamlyn |isbn=978-0-600-61888-1 |edition=revised |via=Internet Archive}}

{{cc}}

• {{Official website |https://www.tonyadamsofficial.com/}}
• {{FIFA player|44996|Tony Adams}}
• {{Soccerbase}}
• {{soccerbase (manager)|id=1885|name=Tony Adams}}
• {{Englandstats}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Adams, Tony}}

Category:1966 births

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