I’m right proud of my record ... it won’t be beaten
1,603 & OUT FOR WARNOCK
HE FINALLY obliged, giving the travelling Middlesbrough fans a wave, but could sense what was coming next from the West Brom supporters who had goaded him throughout the 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns.
‘W ***** , W ***** ’ was the cry and then another scornful song which made you wonder why – as he approaches his 73rd birthday – Neil Warnock puts up with it all.
Now, though, as Chris Wilder, right, prepares to step into his shoes, the question may have to be asked in the past tense.
Following his abrupt sacking – Warnock does not do mutual consents
– there was still a look of devilment as he spoke pitchside and maybe he will extend his record-setting run as a league manager that stands at 1,603 games.
“You never say never,” he said. “My wife Sharon said please don’t commit yourself to anything when I told her. Sharon and the kids have been brilliant.
“I’m right proud of my record. I can’t see it ever being beaten, not in the modern day.
“I’m disappointed how it’s ended up but nothing surprises me. The players are super. They have made mistakes and every mistake has cost us goals. As a manager you can’t really legislate for the goals we’ve conceded. “We should be in the top three really with the games we should have won.” Warnock has known for a few weeks that change was around the corner. “I won’t fall out with owner Steve Gibson. He’s been brilliant. I just wish he had been more hands-on than leaving it to other people,” he said. “Someone’s coming in now who will be given the players I wanted six months ago. I haven’t had much support from the club, with the exception of Steve.” A goal by Josh Coburn, 18, had given Boro the lead but Albion replied with a spectacular finish from Grady Diangana.
Steve Cooper cannot wait to swap the classroom for the training pitch in the international break after working flat out since arriving at Nottingham Forest.
“I don’t feel I have done loads of work on the grass with the players because the schedule has just been around games and the lads who have started every game,” the Forest boss said after Lewis Grabban’s double set up a 3-0 win over Preston.
“A lot about recovery, meetings and videos and not actual practice on the grass. But we have a chance to do that now.”
Marek Rodak’s fifth clean sheet in a row and Aleksandar Mitrovic’s 10th goal in six matches helped second-placed Fulham win 1-0 at Peterborough.
Rodak, who is keeping Paulo Gazzaniga out of the side, said: “It is good to have competition so we can push each other – we are good friends.
“I’m happy we are not conceding, we are scoring goals and winning matches.” Jaidon Anthony fired warning to leaders Bournemouth’s rivals after they beat Swansea 4-0. A clash between Philip Billing and Flynn Downes of Swansea had sparked a mass brawl in front of the dugouts and twogoal Anthony said: “It gets feisty sometimes. “We relish that side of the game and try to show we’re not pushovers. We’re here to put up a fight.”