December 25, 2024

Neil Warnock comes out of retirement to become Huddersfield Town manager

Neil Warnock #NeilWarnock

Sign up to Miguel Delaney’s Reading the Game newsletter sent straight to your inbox for freeSign up to Miguel’s Delaney’s free weekly newsletter

Neil Warnock has come out of retirement to make a remarkable return to management after he was appointed manager of Huddersfield Town.

The 74-year-old had announced in April that he was stepping away from the dugout after 42 years as a manager with his most recent stint in charge of Middlesbrough ending by mutual consent in November 2021.

However, just 10 months on from retirement, Warnock has agreed a short-term deal with the relegation-threatened Championship side until the end of the 2022-23 season, becoming their third manager of a challenging campaign.

Just a month ago, he had stated he would not come out of retirement when reports emerged linking him with the Cardiff City vacancy.

Warnock managed the Yorkshire side between 1993 and 1995 and lead them to promotion out of the Football League Second Division in 1995.

“I want to come back and put smiles on faces,” he said in a statement on the club website. “I’m really excited about this challenge.

“My first spell at Huddersfield Town had everything; we went to Wembley twice, moved into the new stadium, and really built the club from nothing. It was a special time.

“I’m coming back to help the club, but also Dean Hoyle. I know what he has done behind the scenes and I’ve always had a lot of time for him.”

Huddersfield reached the playoff finals last year – losing 1-0 to Nottingham Forest – but now sit 23rd in the Championship and level on points with bottom side Blackpool.

Carlos Corberan left his post as Huddersfield boss at the end of the season to join Olympiakos, with Danny Schofield and Mark Fotheringham both sacked since the start of the current campaign which has seen the Terriers slide down the table.

Warnock’s first game in charge may come against Stoke City, who travel to The John Smith’s Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Leave a Reply