Scunthorpe’s Adkins diet
Earlier this year The Sun named Scunthorpe’s Nigel Adkins ‘Emergency boss of the year‘ for having the best record of any manager in the Premiership or Football league appointed during the season.
Adkins, the club’s former physio, goalkeeping coach and fitness trainer has taken Scunthorpe to the top of League One since taking over after Brian Laws was sacked in November. As Peter Oliver notes for the BBC, his success stems from his relationship with the players.
As physio, the 42-year-old former Tranmere and Wigan goalkeeper did not just treat injuries but also acted as counsellor and agony aunt for a myriad of problems.
Motivation was key then and again now with Adkins consistently getting the best out of a squad he inherited when Laws ended his good work at Glanford Park by joining Sheffield Wednesday.
With Chairman Steve Wharton revealing plans to revamp the ground and increase capacity by 2,000 the good times seem to have come for the Irons, and not before time.
It still seems sad, however, that they ever had to leave the wonderfully named Old Showground in the wake of new regulations after the Bradford Fire in 1988. I mean, how sad is this?
The site of the former ground is now home to a Sainsbury’s store and can be found at the junction of Doncaster Road and Henderson Avenue. When the store was opened a plaque was laid where the centre-spot was, just in front of the delicatessen counter; the plaque has since been removed.
Scunthorpe are away to Orient on Saturday.
