Neil Warnock

From Free net encyclopedia

This article is about the football manager. Neil Warnock is also the name of the music agent for bands including Motörhead, Status Quo and Deep Purple.

Image:Neil Warnock 0000.jpg

Neil Warnock (born December 1, 1948) is the current football manager of Sheffield United. He was appointed to become manager of this club in December 1999. He is the sixth longest serving manager in league football. Warnock was born in Sheffield and is a lifelong fan of the Blades.

Warnock played for Chesterfield, Rotherham United, Hartlepool United, Scunthorpe United, Aldershot, Barnsley, York City, and Crewe Alexandra until he ended his career on the pitch and started managing. 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.

He has managed Scarborough, Notts County, Huddersfield Town, Plymouth Argyle, Oldham Athletic and Bury before reaching his current position. During December 2005, Warnock was offered a position at Portsmouth, but he refused in favour of staying on at United.

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.

Rival fans sometimes call him Colin, as, when the name is combined with a British sexual slang word, it is an anagram of Neil Warnock.

Contents 1 Management Career 1.1 Scarborough 1.2 Notts County 1.3 Huddersfield Town 1.4 Plymouth Argyle 1.5 Sheffield United 2 Disputes 2.1 Players 2.2 Managers 2.3 Referees 2.4 Fans

Management Career

Scarborough

While still working as a chiropodist, Neil Warnock was manager of the Scarborough side which won the Conference title in 1987 and gained promotion to the Football League Fourth Division. He remained in charge at Scarborough until November 1988, when he announced his resignation with the intention of taking the vacant manager's job at Notts County in the Third Division.

Notts County

Within days of leaving Scarborough, Neil Warnock was named as the new manager of Notts County. He quickly transformed the fortunes of the Third Division strugglers and in his first full season as manager, 1989-90, they won the playoffs and gained promotion to the Second Division. The following season they won the Second Division playoffs and with it gained promotion to the First Division. Their stay in the First Division lasted just one season and they were relegated, missing out of the chance to become founder members of the new FA Premier League. Warnock resigned the following year after failing to get County anywhere near a Division One playoff place.

Huddersfield Town

Neil Warnock's next job was as manager of Huddersfield Town. He made their first season at the new Alfred McAlpine Stadium, 1994-95, a success - they reached the Division Two playoff final and beat Bristol Rovers to gain promotion to Division One. This success was his fourth promotion in nine seasons, and his third through the playoffs. But he stunned the club days later by announcing his resignation.

Plymouth Argyle

Within days of leaving Huddersfield, Neil Warnock returned to management by accepting the manager's job at Plymouth Argyle who had just been relegated to Division Three.

Sheffield United

On 15 April 2006, Warnock secured Sheffield United's promotion to the Premiership, with the team having been in the top two positions since early in the season.

Disputes

Warnock, who is qualified as a chiropodist and a referee is renowned for making controversial outbursts. He has had high profile disputes with many inside the game.

Players

• Stéphane Henchoz - Over an alleged spitting incident in the League Cup semi-final between Sheffield United and Liverpool.
• Peter Swan - A player for Warnock at Argyle and Bury, he called Warnock "a prick".
• Geoff Horsfield - Warnock told him he was unwanted after a permenant 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

Managers

• Micky Adams
• 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.
• Phil Thompson - See Stéphane Henchoz above.
• Gary Megson - Following allegations that Warnock tried to void a game by reducing his team to six players. 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.
• 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.
• Kevin Blackwell - Warnock told press that he wished he'd had the money to spend on players Blackwell did in the season 2004-2005, this was the last season at Elland Road after "Living The Dream" had caused severe financial dificulties and no money was available
• 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 F.A. has charged Warnock with improper conduct.

Referees

• David Elleray - Warnock called him a "bald-headed bloke", whilst criticising his decision making ability.
• Graham Poll - Following a mistake by Poll which led to Arsenal scoring in the FA Cup semi-final in 2003.

Fans

• Sheffield Wednesday - Fans of Sheffield United's arch rivals are regularly angered by Warnock's remarks. After one United victory over Wednesday at the Owls' Hillsborough home, Warnock is said to have run over to a stand filled with Wednesday fans and performed a war dance.

• Nottingham Forest - Under Warnock's management, Notts County briefly rivalled the Reds (Nottingham Forest) in the early 1990s. As well as this, many Forest fans have accused him of underhand tactics during games between their team and Sheffield United, particularly the playoff semi final second leg in 2003. Forest supporters' dislike of him has only increased the already huge popularity he enjoys amongst Notts County supporters.