A real fighter rocked to the core by Sala tragedy

ROBINS BOSS WALKS AFTER STRUGGLING WITH DEATH OF ARGENTINIAN STRIKER

NEIL WARNOCK is one of life’s great characters and football will be poorer without him.

Warnock, who is 71 next month, has had a wonderful career in which he set records as he became the promotion specialist amid the rows, dressingroom rants and the manager every rival fan loves to hate.

But Warnock perhaps endured more highs and lows in his last job with Cardiff City than with any of his other 14 clubs in his remarkable 39-year managerial career.

His greatest achievement of all was arguably to lead Cardiff into the Premier League in 2018 because it epitomised what Warnock is all about.

A no-nonsense old school motivator who gets the very best out of players, gets them to run through brick walls for him and they did just that because here was a Championship squad suddenly in the multi-million pound top flight.

They gave it an incredible fight to stay up amid the most heartbreaking and tragic circumstances that Cardiff had ever known.

The Emiliano Sala tragedy in January was something that rocked Warnock to the very core and, by his own admission, he came very close to walking away last season because he was so gripped by grief.

Sala (right) was due to be Cardiff’s record signing, was joining from Nantes and yet was involved in a plane crash and the tragedy was felt by the whole of football. Cardiff was united in grief.

Warnock has been a fighter throughout his career and yet, one cold Monday at the Cardiff hotel the club uses to train last January, he struggled to hold back the tears when talking about Sala.

Gone was the effervescent Warnock, full of jokes and a cheeky smile, the man who was fantastic company and always entertainment.

Replaced with a shell of a man and it is a great tribute to Warnock that he was able to carry on through the tragedy and, in a highly emotional parting statement yesterday, that was one of the first things he mentioned.

There is a reason why chairman and chief executives have kept turning back to Warnock despite his reputation for being old school.

Warnock has set an incredible record of winning eight promotions, somehow building teams and a dressing room spirit to get players over the line.

His career has, of course, had disappointments with the sense of unfinished business of desperately keeping just one of those clubs in the top flight.

From Notts County to his beloved Sheffield United, later QPR and Crystal Palace and now Cardiff, his career has been full of achievements which deserve to be celebrated.

Warnock is a great character and football will miss him. Despite the frustrations of this season, Cardiff fans were the first to pay tribute to one of English football’s best loved managers.

IMPRESSIVE RECORD Neil Warnock has called time on his career after decades managing at the top level career. A special mention also to all of my players, past and present, who have given me everything. Thank you, you’re a great bunch. “I would especially like to thank Mehmet Dalman, whom I have said many times has been one of the best chairman I have had the privilege to work for.” Warnock bowed out with an emotional statement of thanks to the club’s supporters after the “most challenging period” of his 39-year managerial career. He said: “I would like to thank all you supporters for getting behind me and the team. I hope you have all enjoyed the journey. I am proud to leave the club as a united one and long may you all achieve the success that you deserve.” Warnock had promised his wife Sharon a long holiday and that he would quit at the end of the season as he parted on “amicable terms” with the club. Former Stoke boss Tony Pulis (inset) is the bookies’ favourite to replace Warnock.