City Hall-of-Famer pens three-year deal as permanent boss

NORWICH City are delighted to announce Neil Adams has been confirmed as Manager after agreeing a new three-year contract with the Club.Former Canary star Adams starts work immediately on shaping the squad for the challenge of competing in the Sky Bet Championship next season.As the Board has previously indicated, Neil was one of a number of candidates for the position assessed by Directors as part of a very thorough selection process.Throughout the process his passion for the Club, his commitment to playing attractive, winning football, his hunger to succeed and his desire to continue to progress young, talented players through to the first team squad shone through.He has the full and unanimous support of the Board and will receive robust backing in this summer’s transfer window. Announcements about coaching backroom staff will follow in due course.Adams took charge of the Canaries in April for the last five games of the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season. In very demanding circumstances, including games against four of the biggest club sides in world football, he achieved a notable improvement in performance and attitude from the players.Chief Executive David McNally said: “Neil impressed us when he stepped up to the plate for the last five games of the season in the most trying of circumstances and he’s continued to impress us during a very rigorous round of talks about the full-time managerial position. He is a very talented coach who is hungry to succeed at Norwich City, playing the kind of football we want to see.“The Club is in a strong position off the pitch, with no external debt and capacity crowds expected at Carrow Road yet again next season. We have the nucleus of an excellent squad and Neil will be given funds to refresh and strengthen the squad where required.“It’s now time for everyone connected with the Club to give their full support to Neil as we focus on the future of this great club and prepare for the vital weeks and months ahead.”Neil Adams commented: “It is a huge honour and I am immensely proud to be confirmed as the Club's manager going forward, and work starts straight away on putting into place the necessary requirements for next season.“The priority is to ensure that attacking, attractive and winning football is once again the norm for supporters of this Club, and it is essential that we now have everyone pulling in the same direction for the challenges that lie ahead.“I thank the Board of Directors for giving me this opportunity as well as the amazing support that I and the team received from the fans during the last five games of last season and also in the time since, and I can assure everyone that we will all be working as hard as possible to achieve our objective of returning this club back to where it belongs.”A right-winger, Adams joined Norwich City from Oldham Athletic for £250,000 in February 1994 - following the £2.2m sale of Ruel Fox to Newcastle. He was renowned for the accuracy of his crossing and for his deadly prowess from the penalty spot, and was voted into City’s Hall of Fame in 2002.Adams scored 30 goals in 206 outings for City.Born in Stoke on November 23, 1965, Adams began his career with Stoke City before securing a First Division championship winners’ medal with Everton in 1987. Following his release by City in 1999, Adams rejoined Oldham for two seasons before retiring.He returned to Norfolk and was initially coach of the Canaries’ Academy Under-14s side.Adams later became the Under-18 Academy coach and led the Canaries to their famous FA Youth Cup victory in 2013, convincingly defeating Chelsea in both home and away legs of the final.