Stan Collymore reveals Neil Warnock got up to weird stuff with players before games

Stan Collymore reveals Neil Warnock got up to weird stuff with players before games when reflecting on the 72 year old’s managerial career.

Warnock broke the record for the most games managed in English football on Tuesday night with the current Middlesbrough manager taking charge of his 1,602nd game as a manager when Boro travel to Luton Town.

The Hatters ruined his occasion with three goals in five sensational minutes to steal all three points – meaning Luton have now lost just once in their past 12 home Championship games.

Warnock overtakes Dario Gradi’s record of the most games managing English league clubs, with the 72-year-old also achieving a record eight promotions in that time.

Renowned for his humour and wit, Warnock is something of a fan favourite and has delivered a number of classic lines throughout his career – many of which are still referred to today.

He has managed 14 different clubs during a managerial career which began in the EFL in 1998 with Scarborough, including Torquay, QPR and boyhood club Sheffield United.

Warnock also enjoyed a stint at Notts County from 1989-1993.

It was at County that one of Warnock’s many hilarious stories occurred, with Collymore revealing a comical – but extremely bizarre – story about toenails, anyone getting flashbacks of Paul Scholes yet?!

On Twitter, Collymore said: “I had a trial at Notts County in 1988, Neil was manager.

“I walked into the dressing room and he was cutting first team players toenails!

“Can’t imagine managers doing that now somehow.

“Mind boggling number of games. Congratulations Neil!”

I had a trial at Notts County in 1988, Neil was manager. I walked into the dressing room and he was cutting first team players toenails!

Can’t imagine managers doing that now somehow. 🤣

Mind boggling number of games. Congratulations Neil! 👏🏽👏🏽 https://t.co/aqPwPxzlrG

— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) November 2, 2021

‘You’re a qualified chiropodist. Would you still know what to do if Small Talk pulled off our socks and asked you to treat our bunions?’ asked The Guardian a few years back.

To which Warnock replied: “Oh yes, of course I would. I still do bits and bobs. My speciality was ingrowing toenails. I don’t mind blowing my own trumpet – I was very good at them. I would look at one or two of the players when the physio saw something he wasn’t sure about.”

Here is a video of him actually talking about this to talkSPORT when he want in to the radio station to share some gossip and talk all things football…

“My expertise was ingrown toenails.” 🤢

“I’d look at a player’s feet & if the physio wasn’t doing it right I’d do it.” 🦶

“I’m only a Premier League manager… You’re not above anything!” 🤷‍♂️

Qualified chiropodist Neil Warnock discusses his passion for feet 👀 pic.twitter.com/tvV2c3PKqB

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) January 9, 2020

During his time at Meadow Lane, Warnock took charge of 28 matches – winning seven, drawing six and losing 15.

Despite enjoying a highly successful career in the game at a number of different clubs, it appears that the Englishman’s pre-game ‘tactic’ failed to have the desire impact, although fair dos for helping out in some way bizarre or not… I guess.

Most games managed in English professional football
Name – Games managed
Neil Warnock – 1,602
Dario Gradi – 1,601
Fred Everiss – 1,524
Sir Alex Ferguson – 1,503
Brian Clough – 1,451
Jim Smith – 1,442
Harry Redknapp – 1,434

“I never set out to do anything like that,” Warnock said on the achievement. “I can’t see something like this being beaten. In another 16-17 games, it will be the most Football League games. Hopefully I can keep my job a bit longer.

“Simon Jordan got me out of retirement at Palace because I thought I was going to be finished after Sheffield United. He told me to have a couple of months and help him out and it’s things like that that have kept me in it. Rotherham United was special. They got me back in after I’d called it a day then.

“Those circumstances and having those 16 games at Rotherham really whetted my appetite for the Cardiff carry on. You can’t put your finger on just one thing that keeps you coming back.”

On the 1st of December, he will turn 73, yet shows no sign of slowing down, no doubt helped by his constant ability to lighten the mood of a press conference or playing up to his charismatic persona.

“I have really enjoyed it and set out to give the clubs I am at something to cheer about and a bit of humour in the game,” he added. “There is not enough humour in the game. I like to make people laugh and smile and enjoy life.

“Younger managers get a bit brainwashed with clipboards and qualifications and forget the little things in life like the humour. You can’t give them a course in humour. I have always enjoyed that part, and meeting the away fans, the banter and getting some stick. I couldn’t have done as many games without humour.”

Sky Sports’ Jobi McAnuff spoke of Warnock on the Sky Sports EFL Podcast: “Opposition-wise, it’s never nice coming up against his teams, I’ve got to be honest. I had my extra-large shin pads and ankle pads on when I played against them! You know what you are going to get and I think, with good managers, you can see elements of their personality in their teams.

“I think Neil Warnock has done that across his whole career. I know a lot of lads who have played for him and they absolutely loved it. For me, management is about getting the best out of those players and understanding what makes them tick. He just knows which buttons to push and how to push them.

“It’s a massive compliment to him for how long he has done it, how successful he has been and to have that desire to keep wanting to do it. He could easily retire – and be happily retired – but he’s got that passion in him that you still see now and it’s great to see.

“You look at managers these days and it is very much a short-term job and some that have negative experiences or don’t quite do well, you never see them again. The fact that he keeps coming back, he keeps getting jobs and he keeps doing well and building teams again is unbelievable.”

Sky Sports’ Andy Hinchcliffe on the Sky Sports EFL Podcast added: “If you’re in football as long as Neil Warnock, you have to adapt because players have changed, their mentality has changed.

“You can keep a bit of what you are, but you do have to adapt the way that you coach and talk to players because man-management is so important these days.

“He’s still proving successful and there is a chance this season, with him in charge at Middlesbrough, that they could creep up and challenge the top six.

“We’ll see him in midweek and we’ll certainly hear him as well because he loves to stick it to referees! It appeals to fans, it appeals to players and he must be great to play for. If you are around this long, it’s not by accident; clearly you are doing a lot right.

“When he left Cardiff, I just wondered if that was it and though that surely, in his 70s, he was just going to sit back and watch the game. He can’t help himself. He is what he is – a football coach and a manager – and he needs to be in that dressing room and on that touchline. Can he go into his 80s?! I’d be surprised if he doesn’t!”

Twitter users reacted as Stan Collymore reveals Neil Warnock got up to weird stuff with players before games…

@Steven51013618: haha he doesn’t mention that in his book.

@eddvandereagle: Paul Scholes has probably got a semi reading this

@IdMjones: heard a story that he used to ask for half the subs appearance fees towards the end of a game if he sent them on. bent as anything

@SonOfGibbo: Hopefully he wasn’t using the Scholes method of toenail cutting?

@Chad01474186: Paul Scholes did this at United, using his mouth.

@barlo121: My fav story is the one where he took players bowling and bet them £10er a man to beat him like a bonding excercise, they accept and he pulled out his custom ball and shoes and hammered them all like a real hustler

@dan_o_1989: 😂 what

@woolyw0: Somewhere in the back of my mind, I seem to remember he was a qualified Chiropodist – so makes sense. Bit like Stuart Pearce changing a light switch!

@GrumpyGit2021: Whether you like him or loathe him, Warnock is one of the game’s more lively characters, which I like. Too many dull managers out there. Congrats Neil.

@GaryPellington: Fantastic bloke

@suzysways: I have so many questions

@ForeverAYellow: So very random haha yet I just can’t help but love the guy, will be a huge loss to football when he retires. Just watching back all the old videos of him, his antics and the many hilarious quotes he’d come out with. Fair play to him

@DanielDesmondP3: I remember Neil getting Notts Co into the top flight of English football. They built a brilliant new stadium on the back of it. They came up with us ⚒ and Oldham. Oldham’s team was awesome that year. Quality all over the park and a plastic pitch. Congratulations Neil 👏🏻

Need to ask the Oldham players stan. They might have had a more intimate experience… pic.twitter.com/79aRqXRaTn

— Awais (@awaishussain964) November 2, 2021

No one:

Neil Warnock in 1988: https://t.co/uvnCEBOCsp pic.twitter.com/LMpMz6N8hi

— Will Ross 👉🏻🎃👈🏻 💛 (@TheWillRoss) November 2, 2021