Neil Warnock’s cheeky jibe at Bristol City fans as old enemy announces retirement

The 73-year-old announced the end of his management career on Saturday and joked about hosting an evening in Bristol
Neil Warnock was often a thorn in the side of Bristol City. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)Neil Warnock was often a thorn in the side of Bristol City. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
Neil Warnock was often a thorn in the side of Bristol City. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

Bristol City’s old enemy Neil Warnock has called time on his career after 42-years in football management, but still has the club in his mind.

At the end of January, Warnock was linked with a shock move to Ashton Gate and a return to Cardiff City, but neither transpired as Nigel Pearson and Steve Morison remained in their roles.

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And after parting company with Middlesbrough back in November, the job on Teesside, proved to be his last involvement in the game, as a manager.

For at least the last two decades, one club that Warnock has come up against many times in crunch matches is Bristol City, including a dramatic Championship play-off in 2008. Another was his last act as Cardiff City manager as Josh Brownhill’s strike resulted in him calling time at the Bluebirds in 2019.

The Championship promotion specialist is planning to do some talks around England and Wales, and joked about hosting one in a city where he hasn’t been quite so popular.

“I’ve got one or two interesting things lined up, I’m looking forward to doing a few evenings with things around the country,” he said whilst announcing his retirement on Soccer Special.

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“I’m doing one in Cardiff and one in Sheffield in September. I think they are the friendly places.

“I said to my man, I need to go to Bristol don’t I and Ipswich? The ones who give me some stick.”

Neil Warnock managing against Bristol City back in February 2021. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Neil Warnock managing against Bristol City back in February 2021. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Neil Warnock managing against Bristol City back in February 2021. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

In his managerial career, he oversaw 1603 games, which is the most of any in the history of the English game, gaining eight promotions through the Football League.

He led the likes of Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield United and Severnside rivals Cardiff City to the Premier League and also managed Crystal Palace there.

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For someone of his experience and expertise in how to get out of the division, Warnock at times would be linked with the hot seat in B36.

City though would go down different routes like appointing Lee Johnson, someone who Warnock wasn’t a fan of, or his father Gary Johnson, having once claimed Lee of inciting the crowd against him.

But ever the pantomime villain, Warnock came out with an extraordinary line in February 2017 and requested: “When I pass away, I don’t want clapping or a minute’s silence, I want a minute’s booing at Bristol City."

Over the last few years, Warnock would add fuel to the fire by signing a number of players directly from Bristol City, such as Lee Tomlin, Bobby Decordova-Reid and Marlon Pack, as well as signing Aden Flint from Middlesbrough.

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And when he was due to take charge against Bristol City in November 2017, former striker Leroy Rosenior claimed that fans of the Reds, ‘detested’ him, in which he responded with “’Bristol City fans don’t detest me - I wouldn’t use a word as nice as that.”

Often in the mind of Warnock, were Bristol City and back in March 2021, he said his reason for extending his management career for another year was partly down to the reception from Robins fans.

After one-and-a-half years of games being played behind-closed-doors because of the coronavirus pandemic, Warnock signed on for another year at Boro as he reunited against City again.

He said: “I don’t want to finish my career without having one last wave to the Bristol City fans, and one or two of the others away from home, thanking them for all these years they’ve been having a go at me.

“It would be sad if I had to do that.”

And in August of last year he got that, as he oversaw a 2-1 win over City, but he wouldn’t be in charge when the two met again at Ashton Gate in February with Chris Wilder in the dugout then.

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