Great Yarmouth's Adrian Coote finished 1996/97 as leading scorer for both the Youth and Reserve teams. He made his full debut against Port Vale in September 1997 and finished the season with 23 appearances (12 as substitute) and with 2 goals to his name. Adrian was also capped by Northern Ireland at Under-21 level scoring the winner in Northern Ireland's first ever Under 21 international (against Switzerland).

Despite making his full international debut in April 1999 in a friendly against Canada (1-1), his career at Norwich has stalled somewhat. He has hinted that he may need to quit the Canaries and drop down a division if he wants regular first team football. At the end of 1998/99, he had made another 6 appearances but had added no goals. Adrian received a boost to his season when he was included in Sammy McIlroy's first Northern Ireland squad in February 2000. He won another international cap coming on as substitute against Malta on 28th March 2000. He was named again in the Northern Irish squad for the clash with Hungary on 26th April 2000.

With the arrival of Tony Cottee, Gaetano Giallanza and Paul McVeigh, Adrian's future at Carrow Road looks bleak and so in September 2000, he joined Dutch side Roda on trial / loan. The Dutch side decided Adrian wasn't what they wanted and he returned to Carrow Road. Colchester manager Steve Wignall made a bid to take Adrian on loan to Layer Road but this was turned down by the Norfolk striker who preferred to battle for a place in the Norwich starting XI. After the arrivals of Alex Notman and Zema Abbey, Southend manager Dave Webb made a cheeky offer to sign Coote on 19th December but this was rejected by the Canaries. Adrian eventually signed a new contract in March 2001

Colchester manager Steve Whitton declared in August 2001 that Adrian was their primary target for a new striker and that they would be willing to pay a six figure sum for him when he recovers from injury. In October 2001, caretaker Southend manager Rob Newman made a bid to take Adrian to Roots Hall on loan even though Adrian was still recuperating from injury. Norwich rejected this offer stating that the only way Adrian would leave Carrow Road would be on a transfer. Adrian was forced to admit that his future might lie elsewhere

Despite interest from Rushden & Diamonds, Adrian joined Colchester for £50,000 on 20th/21st December 2001. He departed on amicable terms wishing the Canaries good luck for the future.

On October 21st 2002, Adrian joined Third Division Bristol Rovers on loan with Rovers' Justin Richards heading the other way to Essex. Just over a year later, Colchester finally parted company with Coote on October 29th 2003. Steve Whitton's replacement Phil Parkinson had only given Coote 2minutes on the pitch with the first team and with the signing of Craig Fagan from Birmingham, Coote's options were limited. He had scored just 4 goals for Colchester.

The following day saw Adrian opt to remain in Essex and rebuild his career with Ryman League side Wivenhoe. Despite interest from Conference sides, Coote signed an 18month contract with Wivenhoe in January 2004.

Adrian was transfer-listed at the end of July 2004 with Wivenhoe confident in their other strikers that they had signed during the summer. Having made just 2 appearances during the first couple of months of the 2004/5 season, Coote was linked with a switch to King's Lynn on October 21st 2004 as new manager Robert Taylor seeks to rebuild the Linnets team in his own image and to arrest their slide down the Southern League Eastern Division table.

Instead Adrian returned to Norfolk at the beginnning of December 2004 to sign for Ridgeons League outfit Dereham Town. Dereham swooped after Coote had been formally released by Rymans League outfit Wivenhoe Town, where he had been playing after dropping out of the professional game. "We're absolutely delighted to have Adrian playing for us," said Dereham manager Simon Barnes. "It has got to be one of the biggest signings in the club's history ? he's a Northern Ireland international and he's still only 26. Things haven't really worked out for him recently, but he's still got a t remendous amount to offer. A lot of players of his age are dropping out of league football now because the money just isn't there. He's a great lad and as soon as I spoke to him about playing for Dereham he was keen to join us. Adrian has moved to Mattishall and we just got talking after we met at a veterans' match. Money was never mentioned. He just wanted to play football."

In June 2005, Coote joined Damian Hilton's new-look Wroxham - "Adrian Coote is a formidable striker of great experience having played for Norwich City and Colchester, " said Hilton. "I feel he will achieve great success in helping to rebuild Wroxham into a challenging force." After he had signed for Gorleston in June 2006, Wroxham revealed that Coote was still under contract until the end of the 2006/7 season and so he technically remained with Wroxham although rumours have it that he's playing for Acle Rangers - a Sunday league side. Adrian in fact joined Gorleston towards the end of August 2007.