Neil Warnock

Neil Warnock (born December 1, 1948^[1]) is a football manager, currently in charge of Crystal Palace. Warnock was born in Sheffield and is a lifelong supporter of Sheffield United Football Club,^[2] which he managed from 1999 to 2007. Rival fans nicknamed him Colin, as, when combined with the insult "wanker", it is an anagram of Neil Warnock. The anagram first appeared in 1997, in Exeter City fanzine 'There's a Good Time Coming', towards the end of Warnock's period in charge of local rivals Plymouth Argyle.

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Career

Warnock played for Chesterfield, Rotherham United, Hartlepool United, Scunthorpe United, Aldershot, Barnsley, York City, and Crewe Alexandra, making a total of 326 league appearances in an eleven year playing career.

As a player he was a bustling though none too quick wide midfielder who served lower league clubs well but was never in demand by larger teams. Towards the end of his playing career, Warnock went part-time and owned a greengrocer's in Barnsley called "The Orange Bowl". He later ran his own chiropody practice in Tinsley, Sheffield while working his way up the non-league managerial ladder.

After being involved in Sunday League coaching, his first full managerial job was with Northern Premier League side Gainsborough Trinity in 1981. Since then, he has managed Burton Albion, Scarborough (getting them promoted to the Football League in 1986), Notts County (promotion to the top flight in 1991), Huddersfield Town (play-off winners), Plymouth Argyle (play-off winners), Oldham Athletic, Bury and Sheffield United. Warnock also acted as 'consultant' at Torquay United in 1993, saving the club from relegation out of the league. He also turned down lucrative management jobs at Chelsea, Sunderland (while at Notts County) and also at Portsmouth (while at Sheffield United in 2005).

From 1990 to 1996, Warnock was a familiar face at Wembley Stadium, as he led Notts County (twice), Huddersfield Town (twice) and Plymouth Argyle to the Twin Towers, winning four of the five matches and his only defeat being on penalties in the 1994 final of the Autoglass Trophy.

In 2003, Warnock led Sheffield United to the semi-finals of the FA Cup and League Cup as well as the final of the First Division play-off. This was the first time in his management career that he had lost a play-off contest, having previously been successful at Notts County (twice), Huddersfield Town and Plymouth Argyle. He finally led his Blades team to the Premiership in 2006. On September 23 2006, Warnock led the Blades in his 1,000th game as a manager against Arsenal at the new Emirates Stadium, in a game which they lost 3-0.^[3]

On May 13 2007, Sheffield United were relegated from the Premiership when they were beaten 2-1 by Wigan Athletic on the final day of the season.^[4] Three days later, Warnock resigned with immediate effect as the manager of Sheffield United. After 7 years in charge, Warnock was the third longest serving manager in the club's history.

Warnock returned to football management in October 2007 at Crystal Palace, replacing the sacked Peter Taylor.^[5]

Disputes

Warnock, who is qualified as a referee,^[6] but has never officiated at the very top level, is renowned for his outbursts, which some see as controversial. He has had high profile disputes with many inside the game, some of which are detailed below.

Players

• Stéphane Henchoz – Over an alleged spitting incident in the League Cup semi-final between Sheffield United and Liverpool.^[7]
• Peter Swan - A player for Warnock at Argyle and Bury, he called Warnock "a prick".^[8]

• Geoff Horsfield – Warnock told him he was unwanted after a permanent deal had been agreed to bring him to Sheffield United from West Bromwich Albion in a £1.2m deal, Warnock reportedly told him he didn't want him anywhere near Sheffield United and to go and train with West Brom.^[9]

• Stephen Hunt – After a recent match against Reading Warnock condemned the behaviour of the Royals' Stephen Hunt. He is said to have commented: "Hunt has proved on a few occasions that he's a clever type, and his challenge on Nick Montgomery earlier in the game wasn't clever either".^[10]

• Michael Johnson – In a 2005–06 Championship game with Derby County, Warnock reacted to a challenge by Johnson on Paul Ifill and was accused of playing a part in getting the opposition player sent off. This led to a face to face confrontation between the two and the Derby fans were incensed by Warnock's actions. Warnock asserted that the tackle was a bad one and that his reaction had made no difference to the outcome.^[11]

Managers

• Gérard Houllier – See Stéphane Henchoz above. Also involved an argument about United's allegedly physical approach against Liverpool in the League Cup Semi Final 1st leg, a match in which Liverpool had 5 men cautioned to United's one.^[12]
• Phil Thompson – See Stéphane Henchoz above.
• Gary Megson – Following allegations that Warnock tried to void a 2002 match by reducing his team to six players. For details of this match, see Battle of Bramall Lane.
• Stan Ternent – A longstanding feud. Most recently (2001) involved claims that Warnock sent an "emissary" to listen to tactical discussions.^[13]
• Joe Kinnear – Kinnear remarked that Warnock was a 'prat' after a 1-1 draw between Sheffield United and Kinnear's Nottingham Forest in 2004-05. ^[14]
• Kevin Blackwell – Warnock told the press that he wished he'd had the money to spend on players that Blackwell had in the season 2004-2005.^[15] Blackwell had previously been Warnock's assistant at Sheffield United for several years and indeed Warnock helped Blackwell out for years, working with him at Scarborough, Huddersfield, Torquay, Plymouth et al. Another dispute occurred on 18 April 2006 in a match between Leeds United and Sheffield United at Bramall Lane when Warnock was sent from the touch-line after making a comment to Blackwell over a tackle by Gary Kelly on a Sheffield United player that Warnock deemed a bookable offence, and would have resulted in the Leeds player being sent off.^[16]
• Nigel Worthington – on 18 March 2006 Worthington apparently refused to shake hands with Warnock resulting in Warnock sticking two fingers up at him, an incident over which the FA charged Warnock with improper conduct.^[17]
• Wally Downes – On 20th January 2007, in a match against Reading, Keith Gillespie was sent off seconds after he came onto the pitch, for swiping Reading's Stephen Hunt in the face. After a protracted departure from the pitch, Warnock performed a stamping motion on the sideline directed towards referee Mark Halsey - referring to an earlier tackle made by Steve Sidwell which Warnock felt warranted a red card as well. Reading coach Wally Downes interpreted Warnock's actions as telling his players to "Do em".^{[citation needed]} Downes pushed Warnock, who did not retaliate, causing a mass brawl on the sidelines. Both Warnock and Downes were sent to the stands as a result. Later Wally Downes admitted a misconduct charge to the FA,^[18] was fined £2,000 and given a one-match touchline ban.
• Gareth Southgate – Accused Southgate on Sky Sports News (shown 19 March 2007) of fielding a weaker starting XI against relegation-threatened Manchester City. Warnock claimed Southgate was "helping out" a friend, City manager Stuart Pearce.^[19]

Referees

• David Elleray – Warnock called him a "bald-headed bloke", whilst criticising his decision making ability.^[20]
• Graham Poll – Following what Warnock believed to be a mistake by Poll which led to Arsenal scoring in the FA Cup semi-final in 2003.
• In a Sky Sports documentary, Warnock agreed to be filmed in a personal documentary about his life on and off the pitch. During a match at home to Ipswich Town, Warnock was seen to swear at and verbally abuse one of the assistant referees (also telling the then Ipswich manager that the assistant 'had been his best player'), perhaps revealing why Warnock is seen as one of the more controversial football managers in England. ^[21]

Fans

• Nottingham Forest – Under Warnock's management, Notts County briefly rivalled the Reds (Nottingham Forest) in the early 1990s.

• Leicester City – When Leicester restructured their debt after going into administration in 2002, they gained promotion to the Premiership, at the expense of Sheffield United, who had to make do with a play-off place. After United failed to gain promotion Warnock revealed his anger at the Leicester situation. Incensed that City could have got into such a state yet continued to compete at the top of the table, with no punishment, Warnock complained to the press, claiming United should have Leicester's place in the Premiership and the club should have been relegated or booted out the League. Any team now going into administration is automatically deducted 10 points, although even with this punishment Leicester would still have been two points clear of United.^[22]

• Sean Bean – In a recent tabloid serialisation of Warnock's autobiography, "Made In Sheffield", Warnock claims that minutes after the final game of the 2006-07 season Bean burst into his office, blaming Warnock for the team's relegation in a "foul-mouthed tirade" while Warnock's wife and daughter^[23] were present. Bean denied this, calling Warnock "bitter" and "hypocritical", and arguing that he would never use such language in front of another man's wife and children.^[24]

• Bury – Warnock's reputation started poorly with Bury fans and finally was destroyed when he was seen applauding Bolton Wanderers' fourth goal in a cup tie. He had the accolade of receiving abuse from the whole stadium when Bury played away to Oldham Athletic where he was held in similar regard.^{[citation needed]}

Chairmen & directors

• Warnock is also critical in the autobiography of several of the chairmen and directors he worked with during his career. The most notable were Derek Pavis (Notts County),^[25] Dan McCauley (Plymouth Argyle),^[26] Terry Fisher (Huddersfield Town),^[27] and Ken Marsden (Gainsborough Trinity). However, Warnock insists in the same publication that he now gets on well with all of them.

• He seems to have got on very well with former Bury FC chairman Terry Robinson, as he (Robinson) moved to Sheffield United as chairman not long after Warnock had taken the manager's job there.^{[citation needed]}

Honours

Promotions

• 1986–87: Conference winners (promotion to Division 4) - Scarborough
• 1989–90: Division 3 Playoff winners (promotion to Division 2) - Notts County
• 1990–91: Division 2 Playoff winners (promotion to Division 1) - Notts County
• 1994–95: Division 2 Playoff winners (promotion to Division 1) - Huddersfield Town
• 1995–96: Division 3 Playoff winners (promotion to Division 2) - Plymouth Argyle
• 2005–06: Championship Runners-up (promotion to Premier League) - Sheffield United

Manager of the month

• 2002–03: (Division 1): January - Sheffield United
• 2003–04: (Division 1): November - Sheffield United
• 2004–05: (Division 1): December - Sheffield United
• 2007–08: (Championship): December - Crystal Palace

Cups

• 1982–83: Northern Premier League Challenge Cup winner - Burton Albion
• 1993–94: Autoglass Trophy finalist - Huddersfield Town
• 2002–03: FA Cup semi-finalist - Sheffield United
• 2002–03: League Cup semi-finalist - Sheffield United

Other

Winner, Hartlepool FC 'Player of the Year' 1971-72

Nominated, BBC Yorkshire Sports Personality Awards 2006

Managerial stats

References