Bury FC is saying goodbye to a veteran of Greater Manchester football as local legend Nicky Adams has announced he will be retiring at the end of the season.
The Bolton-born midfielder has enjoyed a 22-year career, playing for 10 different clubs in that time, most notably Bury, where he began as an academy product and earned his first senior minutes back in 2005.
Having been with the club across four different stints and by far the largest chunk of his playing days, making more than 200 appearances for the North West Counties side, he’s practically part of the furniture at this point.
But the time has finally come, as Adams revealed he will be retiring from professional football at the age of 38 – his longevity being an incredible achievement in itself.
⚪🔵 Nicky Adams has announced his retirement from football.
Adams has had a 22-year football career and will hang up his boots at the end of the season to take up a full-time coaching role.
Confirmed via a club statement on Tuesday, 15 April, the Shakers informed fans that Adams, who returned to his home club back in December, will be able to toast hanging up his boots with a promotion party if they avoid defeat against Burscough.
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Adams has represented several other Greater Manchester teams in the past too, playing 85 games for Rochdale and 59 for Oldham Athletic, as well as 88 for Radcliffe FC.
Having scored 14 goals during his time with Bury, as well as serving as club captain, he told the club: “I think it’s perfect timing for me, I’m learning the coaching side of it. I’ve been doing that for the last few years, and I’ve got a big opportunity to go and do that full-time now.
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“I came here at 16 years old; I’ve come back a few times now, I’ve played over 200 games for the football club, I don’t need to tell anyone what it means to me.
“I’ve had some unbelievable times here, and I’ll be forever grateful to this football club, which gave me the opportunity to go and be a professional footballer and go on the journey that I’ve been on. I’m forever grateful for that.”
Speaking on his return late last year, it’s plain to see how big an impression Gigg Lane has left on him.
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He may be calling time on his playing days, but he’s not going anywhere.
Manager Dave McNabb went on to say: “I’m not really sure how to put into words the impact that Nicky has had on me and this group since he walked back through the door in December.
“His legendary status at this football club is well-known and documented. I had heard a lot of good things about his character and his personality through mutual friends and people within the game, so I knew he was going to be a good lad and have a positive impact in the dressing room.
Even with this knowledge, never did I expect to meet such an honest and caring man with enormous levels of integrity and with such high standards and principles. He’s a leader amongst men. When he talks, people listen. He gets the best out of others.
He is trusted and respected by everyone. He drives positive relationships within the group. He is the glue that holds things together. I’m proud to have brought him back to HIS football club, I’m proud to have played a very small part in his illustrious career but most of all, I’m proud to be able to call him a friend.
Signing off with a sentiment, McNabb added: “Good luck Nicky, you’re a legend.”
Stockport County release second drop in retro range as classic ‘Romania’ shirt is revived
Danny Jones
Stockport County FC have released the latest drop in their collection of retro football kits and casualwear, resurrecting the legendary ‘Romania’ shirt as the centrepiece of the new range of old school casualwear.
If you’re a die-hard Hatter, we don’t need to tell what jersey we mean or how iconic it is within the club’s rich heritage.
We are, of course, talking about the 1996/97 third strip that County players and Stockport supporters alike donned in their droves during their historic EFL Cup run.
Teaming with local town centre hotspots SK1 Records and Underbank bar, The Spin Off, for an official launch event, here’s how they debuted it to the public:
It’s anyone’s guess as to which throwback fit they’ll go with next or whether they’ll simply complete the 96/97 revival, but it’s safe to say that both have gone down a treat with the local community.
Revolving around the bright and unforgettable yellow, blue and red jersey itself – the shirt that County had to swap into before they went on to knockout then-established Premier League side Blackburn Rovers away at Ewood Park – the colourway is just as bold as ever.
Here’s a closer look at the second County Classics kit:
It’s no surprise that just like the previous instalment, replicas have been snapped up in no time, as indeed has their current third kit for the 2025/26 campaign, which also pays homage to their history.
Dave Challinor’s side hosts Stevenage Town at Edgeley Park this Saturday, 13 December, before taking on Mansfield away the following weekend – you can expect a fair few Hatters to be wearing the third strip (both the original and the re-issue) at each.
You can see more from this second edition in the County Classic range down below; all of the items are now on sale, and find out how much each piece from the full collection costs HERE.
Featured Images — Stockport County Football Club (supplied)
Sport
Former Salford Red Devils player planning phoenix club after the team’s collapse
Danny Jones
A former Salford Red Devils player is planning to start a phoenix club from the ashes of the fallen rugby league team.
Retired winger Mason Caton-Brown, who played for the Red Devils between 2014 and 2016, is leading the consortium currently being linked with resurrecting the Salford side.
The Greater Manchester sporting institution sadly folded following liquidation on 3 December after a prolonged period of uncertainty and crippling debts.
Despite investors promising funds and multiple adjournments to their winding-up ceremony, time simply ran out and now Caton-Brown and co. are, hopefully, looking to pick up the pieces.
Heading up the move to bring back the beloved outfit, the former chairman of the ‘Forever Reds Supporters Trust’ (FRST), Malcolm Crompton, local entrepreneurs Paul Hancock and Ashley Washington are also assisting with the proposal.
Simply known as ‘The Phoenix Bid’, they are said to have potentially secured a six-figure sum and have already reached some provisional pre-contract agreements with a new coach and several players ahead of the formal offer being taken into consideration.
Publishing a lengthy mission statement on social media earlier this week, the ex-pro wrote: “I moved to Salford from London over 10 years ago, and the club and city welcomed me with open arms.
“It made me who I am today. The Salford City community is like no other, and the club is a big part of that, so when I saw it was at risk of going under, I truly felt the need to be a part of a solution and give back to the club, city and the community.
“But I’m not on my own, I’m part of a team of people that are passionate about what this club means and truly focused on making sure a true Salford RLFC stays alive and is something the fans and the city can call their own.”
Chatting with BBC Sport Manchester in a recent interview, the 32-year-old Enfield-born athlete turned businessman – who also represented the London Broncos and Wakefield Trinity – claims that conversations with investors and stakeholders are progressing nicely.
🗣️ "We are looking to bring this club back to life"
Former Salford winger Mason Caton-Brown has outlined his plans for a new phoenix club.
Salford fans, make sure to listen back to last night's Total Sport.
Signing off the post with a strong assurance, he said: “If our bid is successful, I promise we will do everything we can to protect the club and build a future Salford can be proud of.”
As for the fans, a spokesperson for the aforementioned supporters’ trust dubbed the prospective personnel spearheading the revival as a “powerful and credible team”, with Caton-Brown promising to reveal all the exciting details if the bid gets green-lit.
Speaking in an official press release shared with The Manc, the one-time Jamaican international and adopted Salfordian added: “This isn’t just about rebuilding a club, it’s about rebuilding belief.
“Salford means everything to me as a club and is part of my story. We want to create something the city can be proud of again; a club that stands for honesty, sustainability, and genuine community connection.”
“We’re inviting the people of Salford to stand with us. Together we can rise again, not just to bring rugby league back to this city, but to make sure it thrives for generations to come.”
Do you think The Phoenix Bid will be successful and, more importantly, do you think this group are the right people to bring the club back and get them moving onwards and upwards again?
Danny Jones -
16th April 2025 
