Chris Adams admitted today that he had probably played his last game for Sussex even before he got the chance to start the next chapter of his career.

The 38-year-old was last night finally confirmed as cricket manager at Surrey on a three-year deal, as revealed exclusively in The Argus on Monday.

Adams still had a year left of his contract at Sussex after relinquishing the captaincy at the end of the season.

But he revealed that he was seriously considering retiring from playing anyway. “I never wanted to be remembered as someone who was hanging on,” he said.

Adams’ new role marks the end of a 21-year playing career, the last 11 of them as the most successful captain in Sussex’s history.

He said: “It was always going to be difficult for me to continue playing next year. Deep down in my heart I knew that the final game of last season against Yorkshire – when I was given a guard of honour and a standing ovation – was going to be the end. And as a batsman it was nice to finish playing how I liked to play for a lot of my career – ultra positive.”

At the time it certainly looked like the end of an era and the least Adams deserved after what he had achieved was to go out on his own terms and with their place in division one secure for another season.

He had endured his worst season with the bat since his early days at Derbyshire, averaging just 23.94 in the Championship and scoring one century in limited overs cricket.

“Last season I was finding things more difficult both as a captain and a batsman,” he admitted. “My own form suffered as a result because of the external and internal issues I had to deal with.

“But I have no regrets about carrying on as captain. It was a really tough year and there was a lot to deal with. I found it hard with the benefit of 11 years experience so I am sure that someone coming in would have really struggled.

“But at the end of it I felt it would have been a good time not to carry on playing and look to do something else.”

At the third time of trying, Adams has found his something else after failing to land a similar role at Hampshire or the post of chief executive at Hove.

Because of their tradition – they have won the Championship 18 times – Surrey are regarded as the biggest county in the country. They also have financial resources their rivals can only dream of. Only last week they announced that a further £400,000 was being ploughed into their cricket budget.

But since the last of those titles in 2002, Surrey have been in steady decline and Adams will take over a division two county after they were relegated without winning a game last season.

“I have a track record as a motivator and a leader and now I have the opportunity to show what I can achieve in terms of the planning, strategy and motivation of a team,” he said.

“I want to work with great players – who wouldn’t be excited about discovering what makes someone like Mark Ramprakash tick? But first and foremost I want to work with great people.

“I am mindful of Surrey’s tradition and history and the level of expectation. I am not going to say that we are going to win this or get promoted. There are no quick fixes.

“My focus will be to get the team environment working as I want it and to improve the areas of the cricket set-up which perhaps have not been working well.”

Adams will be his own man with his own ideas but after working under and in tandem with so many coaches during his career, including the past and present England supremos, he has a strong idea of what works and what doesn’t.

He also recognises that he is fortunate to get a chance in such a high-profile role without having served a coaching apprentiship. But so did Peter Moores – and look what he ended up doing.

As he looks back on 11 years of success at Sussex he insists there are no regrets although his countless supporters will be disappointed that there was no role for him at Hove. But only a fool would rule out the possibility that one day he will be employed by Sussex again.

“Sussex has been an incredible part of my life,” he said. “I have enjoyed some fantastic times and leaving has been incredibly difficult. There are not many things which could have taken me away but Surrey represents the opportunity I have been looking for.

“It’s a good parting – it feels right. There will always be a part of me here and I just hope that in the future I can walk through the gates at Hove and be welcomed.”

After all he has achieved he shouldn’t have any worries on that score.