Neil Warnock reveals ‘the worst thing about modern football’ as he reflects on his managerial career, retirement, and future plans.
The 73 year old, nicknamed ‘Colin’, has made plenty of memories for himself, players and fans of clubs within football for over 30 years.
He first started out in the non league pyramid, and aged 31, he wasn’t ashamed at trying get himself noticed by Gainsborough Trinity chairman John Davies.
Neil Warnock exclusive: ‘The worst thing about modern football? Players with big headphones’ | @warnockofficial meets @thomgibbs https://t.co/zT84gYS5IK
— Telegraph Sport (@TelegraphSport) June 9, 2022
Under the Sheffield-born boss, Gainsborough brought in record crowds and on the pitch, the team came on leaps and bounds with his style of play matching the no nonsense attitude seen on the non league scenes in the 1980s.
When he wasn’t dragging his players around local pubs to play dominoes and darts with supporters to drum up support for the club, he was searching for new recruits.
20 games into his time helm of Gainsborough, Warnock received an offer he couldn’t turn down from Burton Albion chairman Ben Robinson.
After five years at burton and a NPL Challenge Cup win in 1985, Warnock was appointed at Scarborough, where he still recognises his promotion with them as one of his greatest achievements, ranking alongside managing his boyhood club Sheffield United and guiding Cardiff City to the Premier League against all odds.
Warnock replaced Harry Dunn as Scarborough manager, coming as quite the culture shock to supporters, but was nothing like his predecessor, who was described as modest, polite and quietly spoken by fans.
Warnock, on the other hand, was a different with former footballer Mitch Cook recalling “Nobody had heard of him when he came to Scarborough. I was one of 15 new players he brought in to overhaul the Club. At the beginning of the season, we were 60/1 outsiders and we ended up being the first team to get automatic promotion to the English Football League!
“He created a camaraderie like he does everywhere. You can see it even now. We had nights out that everyone had to go to. We had 13 1-0 wins in the season. I don’t know how he did it.”
We all know how much of a wind up he can be, his way of doing things, taking no sh*t, and his tactics were more unorthodox back in the day with stories that the Seagulls jammed the away dressing room window to eavesdrop on team talks and turned off the heating in the opposing team’s facilities.
Fast forward to today and that is possibly what he’ll talk about as he prepares for an ‘evening with’ tour of theatres lined up for September despite potentially keeping an ear on any managerial job opportunities should the right one tempt him despite retiring. “Never say never,” he said.
“What I’m proud of is giving people vivid memories for the rest of their lives about a game or a season,” he says. Almost all of the 16 clubs he managed have moments like that. The routine of a game day will be hard for him to shake. “The thing you miss most is the adrenaline.” He would make himself an omelette (three eggs, some milk, ham, cheese and red onions) and four slices of wholemeal toast.
“I enjoyed that, then I’d have all the papers. But from half nine, my stomach would start,” (he closes hands tightly). “The ‘evening with’ shows I can imagine I will have the same nerves, but once I’m talking they won’t shut me up.”
Talking with the Telegraph, he was asked what was the worst thing about modern football. He replied: “Players having big earphones on when they get off the bus and never signing autographs for the ordinary punter,” before recalling how as a child he waited in the rain after a game for a Sheffield United hero. When the player eventually emerged Warnock was snubbed. “I’d waited all that time and he ran away, I cried my eyes out.”
The interviewer asked: “Is there really nothing worse? Selfies, surely, must annoy him?” – Neil Warnock replied: “They do, but as long as I’m not eating with my missus. I don’t think it’s a chore, it gives kids pleasure and a memory that is special. I don’t think I’ve ever said no to anybody for an autograph or a photo.”
He is also sceptical about any manager he sees making notes during the game. “Is it their shopping list? Are they going to Tesco after the match? What is going on if you can’t remember certain things at half-time?”
On life exploring Twitter, where he’s opened a new account, his first week saw Nottingham Forest’s Djed Spence post a picture celebrating his Championship playoff final win, but made a dig. Warnock let Spence join Forest on loan from Middlesbrough.
‘Oh, Where’s my Manners! Welcome to Twitter @warnockofficial,’ Spence posted, alongside a picture of himself holding a cigar, with the play-off trophy at his feet.
“I don’t mind that,” he says, subsequently. “I said he would be non-league or Premier League in a few years, it’s entirely up to him. He’s got to the Premier League now so I think the penny’s dropped.”
Fans reacted as Neil Warnock reveals ‘the worst thing about modern football’ while reflecting on his career…
@TMLFC19: Jesus.. hes living in 1940… they are literally just listening to music 😂😂😂😂
@mdy3r: Yeah, diving is fine, racism in the stands acceptable, inept officials no issue, but oversized cans are intolerable.
@Samboevans: Warnock really nailing down the important issues in football here 🎧
@LFCZA: Really Colin?
@mou19645: Not often I ever agree with Colin but he’s spot on here
@Mike_C_Gulliver: I would have gone with racism, but yeah….. big headphones, sure.
@TimNicholsDM: Love Warnock but not sure ‘big headphones’ would make my Top 100
@ForeverOUFC: can’t help but love the guy and his weird, wacky, unique way of doing things, will be missed, no other managers like him
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