Neil Warnock reveals he received blessing from wife to return to Huddersfield

Neil Warnock jetted in from a Valentine’s trip to New York to take over at Championship strugglers Huddersfield — with wife Sharon’s blessing.

Warnock, 74, was unveiled after just three hours of sleep on a transatlantic flight and being driven straight to Yorkshire from Heathrow Airport.

He announced his retirement last year to spend more time with his family, but said Sharon had backed his U-turn to prolong a managerial career that started in 1980.

‘As soon as Huddersfield came in, Sharon said, “Why don’t you help them?”. I worked here before and she’s always loved the club,’ he said.

‘I’d have only come back if Sharon said it was OK. ‘I love Cornwall where we live but you can’t replicate being in football.’

Warnock, who has won eight promotions with clubs including Sheffield United and Cardiff, begins his reign against Birmingham on Saturday with the club 23rd and without a win this year.

‘I apologised to the lads for missing their game at Stoke on Wednesday but I was in a jazz club in New York called Dizzy’s and it was a lot more fun,’ he joked.

‘You look at our fixtures and think you must be an idiot to come here — and fortunately that’s what I am!’

Warnock says he will not stick around beyond this season, but vowed to live up to his colourful reputation.

He added: ‘There is enough depression in the world and every event I seem to go to is a funeral.

'You have to enjoy every day as it passes so quickly. It doesn’t seem two minutes ago that I was at Notts County turning Chelsea down.’