Scottish midfielder known for his exceptional long-range passing ability, free-kick expertise, and powerful shooting from distance throughout his career.
Charles Graham Adam was born on 10 December 1985 in Dundee, Scotland, and joined Rangers' youth academy, making loan appearances at Ross County and St Mirren before establishing himself in the Rangers first team. Renowned for his exceptional range of passing and a powerful long-range shot, Adam developed into one of Scottish football's most creative midfielders during his time at Ibrox. A loan move to Blackpool in 2009 proved transformative, and Adam's outstanding performances helped the club win promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs, where he scored twice in the final. His form for newly-promoted Blackpool in the 2010-11 Premier League season, including a string of spectacular long-range goals, earned him a move to Liverpool that summer. Adam's time at Liverpool was relatively brief, and he moved to Stoke City in 2012, where he spent seven seasons becoming a fan favourite renowned for his set-piece delivery and occasional wonder goals from distance, including a memorable long-range strike against Chelsea. He later had spells with Reading and returned to his boyhood connections with Dundee to close out his career. Adam earned 26 caps for Scotland across a nine-year international career, and after retiring moved into coaching, taking charge of Fleetwood Town before later working as a set-piece coach at Everton, applying the dead-ball expertise that had defined much of his playing career.
Spectacular long-range goals and free-kick ability
His goal from the halfway line for Stoke against Liverpool at Anfield in 2015 is one of the most audacious Premier League goals ever scored.
Did You Know?How They Played
Deep-lying playmaker with exceptional long-range shooting and passing ability
Lasting Impact
Cult hero known for thunderous strikes from distance and set-piece mastery
Career Honours
- Championship Play-Off Winner 2010 (Blackpool)
- 26 Scotland caps
- Championship Play-off Winner 2010
| Club | Period | Fee | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rangers | 2003–2009 | — | 61 | 13 |
| Ross County | 2004–2005 | loan | 11 | 2 |
| St Mirren | 2005–2006 | loan | 29 | 5 |
| Blackpool | 2009–2009 | loan | 13 | 2 |
| Blackpool | 2009–2011 | — | 78 | 28 |
| Liverpool | 2011–2012 | — | 28 | 2 |
| Stoke City | 2012–2019 | — | 156 | 19 |
| Reading | 2019–2020 | — | 21 | 2 |
| Dundee | 2020–2022 | — | 49 | 7 |
 Scotland | — | — | 26 | — |