Neil Warnock is well known for being at the centre of drama and since announcing his retirement a classic story of when he was wearing only pants as a player confronted him has resurfaced. The Daily Star has run a story about when a furious opposition player gave semi-naked Warnock a dressing down over controversial remarks.
It happened in 2012, when Warnock was in charge at Leeds United. The incident followed a 1-1 draw between Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United, during which a Whites fan struck Owls goalkeeper Chris Kirkland in the face. Kirkland fell to the ground as a result of the assault.
Following the match, Warnock was interviewed on television and said he thought Kirkland went down too easily. Warnock then went to have a shower but was still stood in his pants when he was confronted by a furious Kirkland.
READ MORE: Former Leeds United boss Neil Warnock retires
Warnock wrote about it in the Independent : “I didn't see the incident at the time. We'd just scored and I was trying to make sure my players got their focus back on the game as you are at your most vulnerable when you have scored.
"Our first thought on the bench was that Chris had been hit by a missile. Then one of our staff said he'd been hit by a fan but 'it looked like he went down easy'. When the match finished, TV wanted to interview me straight away and, like a fool, I actually repeated this when they asked me about the incident. I went back in the dressing room and immediately got a phone call from Sharon [his wife].
“She said: 'You can't say that about their goalie. The fan hit him. Have you seen it?' I had to admit I hadn't, so I asked our IT guy to find the incident on his computer – we record all matches as they happen. Then I had a shower, as I usually do after a match. I came out, saw the incident on the computer, and immediately realised the guy had really lunged at Chris and it was no wonder he went down.
"I thought I'd better get dressed and go and apologise to him. But as I was standing there in my briefs with a towel, the door opened, a furious Chris Kirkland pushed his way in and grabbed hold of me.
"He's a big lad and but for the intervention of one or two of our staff he might have done something he regretted. But I honestly couldn't blame him. I'd have felt the same if it had been the other way around. I apologised to him unreservedly.”
Warnock managed Leeds United from 2012 to 2013. During his career he also managed Oldham Athletic, Bury, Crystal Palace, QPR, Cardiff City and Middlesbrough.
