Neil Warnock has officially announced his retirement from football management.
The 73-year-old made the announcement whilst appearing as a pundit on Sky's Gillette Soccer Saturday. It brings to an end a long and successful career in the dugout which spanned more than 40 years. He holds the record for most promotions in English football with eight.
His last job was at Championship side Middlesbrough, who he left in November. Shortly before that decision, he surpassed 1,600 games as a manager and set a new record in English football.
Warnock was asked by Soccer Saturday host Jeff Stelling if he was thinking of coming back into management and replied: "No, no. I just thought it was the right time (to retire), really, coming towards the end of the season, there's not really a job you're going to get before then.
"I've had a good run really. I'm enjoying things I've not done for years, I'm having a lot of time with the family, my dogs and I've taken up cycling too. I've got one or two interesting things coming up. I'm looking forward to doing a few 'Evenings with' around the country. I've been going out on my bike - electric by the way! I love going past folk on their ordinary bikes as they struggle on the hills!"
"I'm not saying the enthusiasm's gone, I've not lost that, but when I see some of my friends who are struggling health wise, there comes a time where you have to let your family enjoy a little bit more of your time, in particular my wife Sharon.
"When you're a manager you're very selfish, you take your job home with you whether you're on a high or a low and it's very difficult for your wife and kids. It's hard to replicate the final whistle when you're won a game, there's nothing quite like that in normal life, and you have to realise you're not going to get that buzz again in that situation. But I'm doing a couple of evenings in the theatre, and I imagine I'll still be nervous before them!"
Warnock's eight promotions have come with Scarborough, Notts County (twice), Huddersfield, Plymouth, Sheffield United, QPR and Cardiff City. Speaking back in December, Warnock admitted he was unlikely to go back into management.
He said: "I’m not bothered about going into it again. Listen, [getting sacked] was a surprise, but these things happen in football. I was always going to pack in at the end of the season anyway. The new director of football (At Middlesbrough) when I met him he didn’t look me in the eye. I feared the worst then! The thing I’m really proud of is I’ve left them with a cracking squad. No manager could wish to have a better squad, so I think I’ve left him in a great situation.”
Boro are well in the promotion mix under Warnock's successor Chris Wilder, sitting seventh in the Championship - a place and two points outside the play-offs.
