When Brian Laws left during the 2006/07 season, he left Nigel Adkins to guide an already blossoming United team to promotion; but who had the better record in their first 50 games?
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Nigel Adkins infact boasts the best record over the duo's first 50 games in charge, impressively all of them coming at League One level or higher.
Both of them have been given considerable amounts of money, Laws
chose quantity, and in most cases quality. He was given money to purchase Steve Torpey (£200,000) who went on to give United seven years of service, Billy Sharp (£100,000), Andy Keogh (£50,000), Lee Hodges (£100,000), Ian Morris (£75,000) and Martin Carruthers (undisclosed).
His signings boosted the clubs coffers and the club made a considerable profit on the £150,000 they were purchased for. The formidable duo of Keogh and Sharp were sold on for over £2million.
Adkins has twice smashed the transfer record paid by United. He splashed out first on Kevan Hurst before being forced to pay out over £400,000 for Martin Paterson after a tribunal. He also forked out a small sum to prize Grant McCann from Barnsley.
It can be argued that Laws put the foundations in place for the club to rocket from the unthinkable in 2004/2005, when they faced the abyss of the conference.
The following season he brought in three seasoned campaigners in Crosby, Baraclough and Musselwhite and reaped the rewards.
 | Adkins uncovered a gem in Beckford |
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His new look side climbed the league and finished runners up after a fight against Yeovil and Swansea for top spot. He then guided the Iron to League One safety the following season, a fantastic achievement for the small club from Lincolnshire.
Laws then left half way through his second season in League One for pastures new, leaving Scunthorpe in a very healthy 3rd position in the table.
The fans panicked as Adkins was installed as new boss; the easy way out, the cheap option, the physio. But, he did have some managerial experience. And the club's management team of Adkins, Baraclough, Crosby and Daws remarkably lead United to the League One title.
Adkins made shrude moves in the transfer market and uncovered an unpolished gem in Jermaine Beckford. The Leeds loanee became an instant hit with the fans, scoring one of the best goals the Glanford Park crowd has ever witnessed.
It seemed easy for United- and Adkins who guided the Iron to the dizzy heights of top spot in League One never looked back.
He was given the almighty task of keeping United in the Championship, and only time will tell if the tremendous 2006/07 season was just Nigel's honeymoon period.
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