Adams resigns as Wycombe manager

Tony Adams yesterday resigned as the manager of Wycombe Wanderers for "personal reasons" but his departure was shrouded in mystery after the club initially announced it had no knowledge of his decision.

Tony Adams yesterday resigned as the manager of Wycombe Wanderers for "personal reasons" but his departure was shrouded in mystery after the club initially announced it had no knowledge of his decision.

Adams, 38, said in a statement: "I would like to thank everybody connected with Wycombe Wanderers Football Club for the time I have spent with them. It has been a good experience and an education.

"However it is with regret that I resign from the post of manager due to personal reasons.

"I believe the team is in early development and it saddens me to have to leave before finishing the job I started. I am sure [head coach] Pete [Cawley] and the players can continue with their good work and achieve all the success that they are worth and is their due."

The former Arsenal and England captain, who fought alcoholism during his playing career and later established the Sporting Chance charity - to help sportsmen and women confront drink and drug problems - made no comment about his future plans.

Wycombe initially released a statement saying they had "not received a formal resignation". Alan Parry, the Sky Sports commentator who is also an associate director at Wycombe, later confirmed that Adams's time at the League Two club was over. "He was due to have an interview with chairman Ivor Beeks at 5pm today which Tony had requested but unfortunately the news has leaked out in rather haphazard fashion," Parry said.

Adams took charge of Wycombe on 5 November last year as they struggled at the foot of the old Second Division. They were subsequently relegated, and have won only five of 46 league games under Adams. They now lie 17th in League Two.

"Nobody in the football club has put any pressure on him to leave," Parry said.