Neil Warnock is trying to enjoy a holiday in Cornwall but the phone is still ringing.
A pal has just called to tell him that his planned ‘Are You With Me…’ show in Sheffield this September is now close to being a 2200 sell-out. There are dates booked in for Cardiff, Huddersfield and Plymouth as well. But Warnock’s told promoters he wants one in Glasgow. Scotland is never too far from his mind. And that’s not just because he owns a house in Dunoon. Warnock is savouring his retirement after a 44-year career. Incredibly, he represented 22 different clubs as a player and gaffer.
But there was one that got away. And it still niggles at him. That’s why he’s always happy to talk when he hears a Scottish voice down the line. He can’t remember the game or the date. But when his Rangers-daft pal Stuart Shaw parked his car across from Ibrox and Warnock clapped eyes on the stadium, he was hooked.
Previously, he’d visited Celtic Park as a guest of Gordon Strachan. But that vision of Ibrox blew him away. And that’s why, just three months into his retirement, he still regrets never becoming Rangers boss. It could have happened. At various times over the last two decades, Warnock’s name has been linked with the Ibrox hot seat. He spoke to the club twice about taking the job but it never materialised.
Warnock isn’t the type for regrets. But it’s one box that will forever remain unticked – much to his frustration. He told MailSport: “I had a couple of chats with one or two people at Rangers over the years about being manager. But it was just never the right time. People always connect me to Rangers but I wasn’t born a fan. When Gordon was at Celtic I used to come up to a few of their games as well.
“But I just loved Ibrox. My mate Stuart is a season-ticket holder at Rangers and he took me to my first game. From the car park outside, looking at that stadium, I was absolutely gobsmacked. I loved it.
“Then when I got inside, someone showed me around the Trophy Room. Oh my God, seeing all those cups. I was completely gone, I was a Rangers man then. Stuart McCall was an influence on me as well because he always used to rabbit on about the club and how good it was.
“When he was manager there for a short spell, I actually thought he might have got me in with him. I felt he needed a bit of experience beside him at that time but it didn’t happen. When I look back, I suppose it is a regret that I didn’t manage up in Scotland.
“We tried to get tickets for the Europa League Final in Seville but couldn’t. My mate got one and went with his partner. They had a great time apart from the result. Losing on penalties is just horrible. I felt so sorry for Aaron Ramsey, it was heart-breaking.”
Warnock’s affinity with Scotland goes back further though – to an Auld Enemy clash with England at Wembley when he ended up in the WRONG end of the ground.
From that moment, he felt partly Scottish and that link grew stronger as the years went by and Warnock made himself one of the most colourful managers in the British game.
He said: “When I was a player I went with a girlfriend to see England v Scotland at Wembley but I can’t remember what year
it was. I queued up to get tickets but didn’t know where they were for. It turned out my tickets were for the Scotland end.
“The Tartan Army were brilliant with me, it was absolutely heaving in there. After about half an hour the guy standing next to me said: ‘Are you English?’
“I said: ‘Yeah I am but I love the Scots.’ He said: ‘Oh right, do you want a drink?’ He opened up his overcoat and it was like
a bar inside it! He had lager, whisky, everything in his pockets! I’ll never forget that, what a laugh we had.
“There was no nastiness. Everyone just wanted to have a good time. It was different back then. You can’t tell me we haven’t gone backwards now, in that respect.
“The Scots used to take over Wembley in those days. And from that moment, I was an honorary Scot.”
One of his first ports of call in the new season won’t be Bramall Lane or Loftus Road. It will be Cappielow, to see how Dougie Imrie’s Morton side are doing.
He’s a regular visitor at the ground when he’s in Dunoon and is impressed by the gaffer’s start to life in the dugout. At 73, Warnock is now out of the firing line. But he admits that he still misses being part of the dressing-room banter.
He revealed: “I didn’t enjoy retirement at first but I’m coming round to it now.
“I’ll tell you what I don’t miss – all the bloody hassle of pre-season! I can’t believe the players are starting back this week, they haven’t even had a proper break.
“The only thing I really miss is the training ground and the dressing room. I miss cracking jokes with the lads, that bit of humour.
“I go and watch Morton now and I enjoy it. They look after me well, they’re nice people and it’s a friendly club. Dougie the manager has done a great job so far. He’s gone about it in his own way and I’m so pleased for him.
“I just love the people up there.”
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