'Neil Warnock is a w*****': Football's new longest-serving manager is one of a kind

Neil Warnock had celebrated his 1,602nd game in charge, breaking the record for the most matches managed in the Football League, so having such unprecedented experience behind him must have helped when he was so unceremoniously sacked only days later.

The Middlesbrough boss passed the record set by former Crewe coach, Dario Gradi, when he presided over a 3-1 defeat away to Luton Town. However, the next game, his 1,603rd, might yet prove to be his last as a boss as he was sacked before - yes, before - a creditable draw at high-flying West Brom.

Despite such an typically bizarre end at Boro, Warnock is still as feisty as ever.

He has enjoyed an incredibly successful time in management and an extraordinarily colourful one, annotated with enough feuds, confrontations and one liners to fill several volumes.

And it is clear that in all the years he has been in charge, he has not changed a bit.

Last Tuesday night it was trademark Warnock, after a disastrous second half at Luton, where he had never lost, stirring memories of some infamous moments in a distinguished career.

Like many of the players who turned out for him at 14 league clubs over more than 30 years, the ears of his Middlesbrough team must still be ringing after shipping three goals in five second-half minutes.

True to form, Warnock warmed to two familiar themes when he met the press after the match, focusing on poor officiating and questioning the softness of his own players. They are topics he has had plenty to say about in his extraordinary career.

'We were let down,' said the combative 72-year-old, simply.

'We never get anything off that one linesman whenever we have him. I won't miss him when I finally retire.'

He then turned to his own side, who it seems, are just too nice.

'We just don't have that nastiness they've got, that you need in the Championship. We haven't got enough of that. We're quite a nice team.'

Hundreds of players who have been on the receiving end of Warnock's hairdryer in his five decades as manager - including a long apprenticeship in non-league - must have heard similar sentiments expressed with passion, at volume and laden with expletives.

Among them was Chris Morgan, an uncompromising defender, who played under Warnock at Sheffield United.

Morgan had the misfortune to lose his man, Joleon Lescott, in the final minutes of a top of the table Championship clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2004.

The 'gaffer' – and a TV crew making a documentary about the boss - were waiting for him in the dressing room after Lescott had equalised with a last-gasp header in the 3-3 draw.

'Who do you have to pick up, eh?' screamed Warnock. 'Is it f****** in black and white?'

Morgan tried to protest, pointing out there were 'three big f*****s' at the back post, but he was eventually forced to own up.

Warnock exploded into a rant that lasted several minutes, but began with the words: 'In the last f*****' two minutes…!'

In another entertaining fly-on-the-wall clip, Warnock was caught piling into his defenders at Huddersfield Town when they had slumped to a two-goal half-time deficit away to Shrewsbury Town in front of 2,000 travelling fans in 1995.

Complete with actions and flailing arms indicating the inadequacy of one defender, Warnock pulled no punches in accusing his player of not being tough enough.

'You were as soft as s***,' bellowed the boss, before turning to the player's defensive partner.

'And you're in f****** Latvia,' he screamed, and then he hauled them both off. The Terriers lost 2-1 after an improved second half display.

While Warnock's team talks seem more industrial compared to the what many believe is the scientific approach of some modern managers, such as Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel, it is very hard to argue with his record.

Warnock has won eight promotions, more than any other manager in England, the most recent coming when he guided Cardiff City to the Premier League in 2018.

And, despite the rollickings, many players love him.

Even Morgan speaks warmly of his former manager.

After Warnock guided Cardiff to the top flight in 2018, he told the BBC: 'He'll be honest with you and people have all seen the videos in the dressing room, but Monday morning it's all forgotten about and he's back to his jokey self.'

Warnock places an indisputable demand on his teams to be tough and competitive, well-structured and direct, if nothing else. And he doesn't mind a bit of sharp practice if he thinks he can gain an advantage.

Even at the expense of his own players.

Paul Peschisolido tells a story of Warnock taking Sheffield United players bowling, but failing to mention he had worked in a bowling alley for two years, had all his own kit and dead-eye accuracy.

'He convinced us all to put £10 in the pot, winner take all,' Peschisolido said.

'We agreed for some fun, then he pulled out his own bowling shoes and custom ball, shot 250 and took all our money.'

In his autobiography, former Burnley manager, Stan Ternent, accused Warnock of posting a spy at the away dressing-room door at Bramall Lane in 2001, to listen in on the half-time team talk with the Blades 1-0 up.

Ternent admits he kung-fu kicked the door open, before punching and headbutting the accused, Sheffield United's assistant manager, Kevin Blackwell.

In his own autobiography, Warnock claimed Ternent was a 'deranged lunatic', which prompted the Burnley man to remark to the Lancashire Telegraph: 'Warnock is a legend between his own ears.'

The pair cannot abide each other.

During his eight years in charge of the Blades, Warnock was also accused of instructing the ball-boys to delay giving the ball back to opposing players if Sheffield were winning.

His accuser was none other than the current Burnley full-back, Matt Lowton, a former ball-boy at his home town club, who got his big break under Warnock and is a huge fan of his. Warnock strongly denied the claim.

But the alleged manipulation of ball-boys was nothing compared to the 'Battle of Bramall Lane'.

The match on March 16, 2002, became the only game in English football history that had to be abandoned due to a shortage of players, with West Brom leading United 3-0 with eight minutes to go.

During the course of bad-tempered match, goalkeeper Simon Tracey was sent off on nine minutes and two substitutes, Santos and Patrick Suffo were dismissed within minutes of coming on after an hour.

When two more players, United midfielder Michael Brown and defender Robert Ullathorne, suffered injuries and had to be withdrawn the match was abandoned since the home team could not muster seven players, having used all their subs.

Warnock faced accusations of cheating from the Baggies' manager Gary Megson, sparking another long-term feud. Megson claimed Warnock had been telling his players to go down injured to force the game to be called off, but the United boss described the comments as 'disgraceful'.

'The way it has all come out so far, you would think I was guilty of committing more crimes than Osama Bin Laden,' Warnock said in the aftermath, just six months after the September 11 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York.

Both substituted players subsequently missed matches through injury and Warnock was not mentioned in the referees' report. West Brom were awarded a 3-0 win.

Warnock has never sought to win a popularity contest in football. He famously infuriated Reading coach Wally Downes in a Premier League encounter in 2007. Downes, a notoriously tough ex-member of Wimbledon's Crazy Gang, was photographed marching down the touchline to confront his adversary.

And Warnock dismissed Liverpool legend Phil Thompson during the 2003 League Cup semi-final between Sheffield United and the Reds.

'You can f*** off Pinocchio,' he roared to the opposition dugout, apparently an insulting reference to Thompson's nose. 'Get back in your f****** cupboard.'

Throughout it all, Warnock has maintained a feisty relationship with officials too, which judging by his comments on Tuesday has clearly not mellowed throughout his long career.

His persecution of linesmen, in particular, is well known.

'Lino, when you get a chance, just show me you are not biased all the time, will you,' he was caught remarking to one official, before sending a substitute down the line to encourage the assistant referee to 'put his f****** flag up'.

Referees are not immune, however.

'David Elleray was that far away he would have needed binoculars,' Warnock said after Sheffield United's defeat to Southampton in 2001.

'I really think it's about time we use the means to sort these things out rather than relying on some bald-headed bloke standing 50 yards away.'

There is no doubt that Warnock is an enigma in the modern game.

Derided as long-ball coach, he has had undoubted success and insists other managers have had a more direct style than him but never gained such notoriety.

And for all the rants and abusive touchline outbursts, Warnock has always said he loves the quiet life.

He lives in the West Country and likes nothing more that 'cutting the grass, feeding the ducks and listening to the birds'.

'The public perception of Neil Warnock is definitely different to the reality of what the guy is,' said Shaun Derry, who played under Warnock at Crystal Palace and QPR.

And while Warnock has succeeded in making himself a hate figure among opposition fans and coaches, even relished it, he has been a cult hero for his own clubs' supporters.

'All I wanted to do when I set out was wherever I went, I wanted the club's fans to enjoy having me and I wanted them after a match to go home talking about the game and the excitement and the team that they support, and I've managed to do that, really,' he told Sporting Life when he passed his 1,500th game in charge.

'But to be appreciated by your own fans is a great, great accolade. Even the people who give me stick – like when I went to Cardiff, the number of people who said, "Well if I'm honest, I've never liked you, we didn't want you here, but I'm glad you're here'"

'That sort of compliment, I really do enjoy that and appreciate that.'

And when it's all over for good - not just for management but for his extraordinary life, Warnock wants a typically offbeat send off.

Talking about Bristol City, the rivals of his former club Cardiff, the idiosyncratic Yorkshireman hopes Ashton Gate will not observe a minute's silence but reverberate with fans chanting his name.

Warnock's three-year stint in south Wales added additional spice to the Severnside derby, as if any were needed.

'I hope they… remember the good times I've given them,' said Warnock cheekily. The former Bluebirds coach first clashed with Bristol fans in 2008, when he had to be escorted off the Ashton Gate pitch by four bouncers after his Crystal Palace side lost a play-off semi-final to City

'I don't want silence. I want them all to be chanting 'Warnock's a w*****' over and over again. For a whole minute. That would be my ideal.'