Trading places

Taylor has built on the good work of Adams at Brighton

By BBC Sport Online's Simon Austin

Peter Taylor and Micky Adams seemed to be moving in opposite directions last October, but they have ended up in the same place.

Results this weekend mean the pair will be pitting their managerial wits against each other in Division One next season.

They seemed to be following different career paths when they swapped clubs last October.

Adams moved from Brighton to become assistant to Dave Bassett at Leicester.

The former Fulham and Brentford boss thought the move would further his ambitions to become a Premiership manager.

Bassett and Adams could not turn Leicester around

In contrast, Taylor was desperately trying to resurrect his faltering career.

The former England international coach had been sacked by Leicester after taking the club to the bottom of the Premiership, and he moved down two divisions to fill the vacant hotseat at the Withdean Stadium.

Adams was named manager of Leicester last week, as he had always planned, and the promotion came even earlier than he had expected.

Strong foundations

But he will be in charge of a Division One side next season after Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Manchester United confirmed Leicester's relegation.

It is Taylor instead who is upwardly mobile.

His Brighton side were promoted to the First Division this weekend after they beat Peterborough and Reading could only manage a draw against Tranmere.

Taylor and Adams have each other to thank for the reversal of fortunes.

Taylor inherited one of the best sides in the Second Division from former Southampton full-back Adams.

The Seagulls were fourth in the table when Taylor arrived on the south coast and in Bobby Zamora they possessed the most prized striker outside the Premiership.

Taylor has built on those solid foundations, bringing in only Junior Lewis on loan from Filbert Street, and the Seagulls can win the title if they beat Swindon at home on Saturday.

While Adams left Taylor a house that was in good order, he did not return the favour.

Akinbiyi flopped

The squad that Bassett and Adams inherited at Leicester was a shambles.

Taylor had made several expensive signings who failed to make the grade.

Leeds squad player Matthew Jones moved to Filbert Street for £3m and rarely merits a place on the bench nowadays.

Akinbiyi was an expensive flop

And then there was the illustrious Ade Akinbiyi, bought for £5m, who proved such a disastrous acquisition that he was sold little over a year later for £2.2m.

Furthermore, Adams will take a squad on Premiership wages into the First Division next season.

Players such as Robbie Savage and Matt Elliott were given lucrative, long-term deals by Taylor, and may prove too expensive to keep next season.

The irony of the situation will not be lost on either man when they shake hands ahead of their first match against each other in the First Division next season.