WARNOCK GETS THE AXE

WELL surprise, surprise – Neil Warnock didn’t go quietly in what could have been his last game as a manager.

He had woken up to headlines suggesting his time at Middlesbrough was about to come to an end and that was confirmed in a telephone call from chairman Steve Gibson.

Warnock knows that football doesn’t do sentiment and the fact that he has just become a record-breaker – no one has been in charge of more games in the English pro game – doesn’t offer greater protection.

He said: “I told the players before the game I was leaving. I just said I wanted a performance from them.

“I read the headlines myself and then got a telephone call that the club was going to go in a different direction. That’s why I wanted to get a performance.

“We could have won it at the end with a header which hit their goalie in the face.

“I’ve really enjoyed it. The fans have been great, Steve (Gibson) has been good but

I’ve not really had much support behind the scenes.

Whoever comes in now is going to get a great bunch of lads. He will get some support in the transfer window.

“I thought it was difficult giving me money when I’m leaving at the end of the season.

“And I think the new man will be given what he wants to get three or four players in.

“Nothing surprises me in football. I was told two or three weeks ago that a new man was coming in.

“It’s been hard behind the scenes but that’s the industry we’re in.”

It is a results business and his Boro side have been off the pace in the scramble for a play-off place.

But there was never a chance of leaving gracefully as the officials at The Hawthorns can confirm, as he raged on the touchline against decisions. The biggest surprise was that it took him until the 89th minute to receive an inevitable yellow card.

But Boro’s players battled their way to a deserved point and could have made it three, England keeper Sam Johnstone keeping out a header from Andraz Sporar in added time.

Boro’s new kid on the block Josh Coburn (left) pounced from close range to open the scoring in the 38th minute.

West Brom were booed off at half-time but Grady Diangana rescued a point in the 65th minute by smashing home after Kyle Bartley had nodded down. Baggies boss Valerien Ismael said: “It was a frustrating afternoon.

“We didn’t show enough quality in the final third.”

WEST BROM: Johnstone 6; Kipre 6, Clarke 5 (Bartley (19th)

8), Townsend 6; Furlong 7, Snodgrass 7, Molumby 7, Reach 6; Diangana 7, Grant 6; Robinson 6 (Hugill (46th) 6)

MIDDLESBROUGH: Daniels 7; Howson 7, Hall 6, Bamba 7; Jones 7, McNair 6, Tavernier 7, Payero 6 (Lea Siliki (71st) 6), Peltier 6; Watmore 7 (Sporar (71st) 6), Coburn 7 (Hernandez

89th)

STAR MAN: Kyle Bartley

REF: M Donohue