Former Leeds United and Middlesbrough boss confirms retirement as Norwich chief makes Birmingham vow

Neil Warnock has revealed he has brought an end to his managerial career following his departure from Aberdeen earlier this season.

The veteran boss kicked off his time in the dugout with non-league club Gainsborough Trinity in 1980 and began to create a fearsome reputation during promising spells with Scarborough and Notts County.  Always viewed as a passionate and outspoken manager, Warnock enjoyed time in the Premier League with Sheffield United and Queens Park Rangers and had a spell working in the North East with Middlesbrough between June 2020 and October 2021.

Despite announcing his retirement months after his exit from the Riverside Stadium, Warnock brought down the curtain on his managerial career with a second spell at Huddersfield Town and an interim reign at Aberdeen - and he has now confirmed he has officially retired to focus on time with his family.

He told the Tippy Tippy Podcast: “That’s me finally done now, though.  I have other things. The thing is, I’m enjoying...my son William plays golf, and I’ve really enjoyed watching him. He’s on scratch now and he teaches it down in Cornwell. A few weeks ago I caddied for him at a competition - I couldn’t do it for 18 holes! My back wouldn’t manage that.  But I’ve really enjoyed watching him play. Amy, my daughter, is at a hospital and is a radiotherapist, and my two grown ups are in Leeds and James is in Boston Spa. 

“It’s nice to have some time now. Sam will tell you - when you are a manager, you neglect your family. You are that in to football that you sit down to watch Coronation Street and you’re not watching Coronation Street. You are thinking about what’s happening tomorrow, what’s happening Saturday, ‘I’m going to have to tell him tomorrow that I’m dropping him’.”

Norwich City manager makes Birmingham City vow

David Wagner has insisted he will select a strong starting eleven when Norwich City face relegation threatened Birmingham City on Saturday.

The Blues head into Saturday’s meeting with Wagner’s side knowing they must claim all three points and hope either Sheffield Wednesday or Plymouth Argyle are beaten in their respective games with Sunderland and Hull City if they are to remain in the second tier. Some have suggested Norwich boss Wagner could rotate his squad as he prepares for the play-offs - but the Canaries manager has stressed he wants his side to go for the win at St Andrews.

He told The Pink Un: "Obviously it's now a game where there is a lot of pressure for both teams. Maybe there's a little bit more for Birmingham because they have to win and they're fighting against relegation.  This makes it even more exciting.

“It will be a big occasion, a big game for sure. But if we do our job, we will have some further big games coming up.  This is a very, very good test for all of us to show how calm we can be. We'll keep our heads cool, but play with fire in our bellies."