Neil Warnock sums up Huddersfield Town legacy with tale that almost brought him to tears and sends key words to Huddersfield Town board

Neil Warnock sums up Huddersfield Town legacy with tale that almost brought him to tears and sends key words to Huddersfield Town board

Neil Warnock sums up Huddersfield Town legacy with tale that almost brought him to tears

The departing Terriers boss relayed a poignant story told to him by a fan prior to his final game in charge of the club, a 2-2 draw against Stoke City on Wednesday evening

Neil Warnock signed off as Terriers manager by telling a poignant story of an interaction with a fan at the supermarket that almost left him in tears prior to Wednesday evening’s 2-2 draw with Stoke City.

That game will be Warnock’s final game in charge of Huddersfield Town following the club’s decision to end his reign at the club and bring in what they hope will be a new long-term appointment as manager.

Asked for his abiding memories of his seven-month second spell as Town manager, Warnock said: “I think the first game (a win over Birmingham) was special. I think the feeling that I had after the Coventry game where it was our second four-nil defeat [in a row], and I thought we should have won that game.

:Neil Warnock offers final thoughts on Huddersfield Town as second spell comes to end

“And then the comeback, Danny’s brilliant goal from Jacko’s cross at Millwall which I thought turned the whole season. We had two weeks to work with them after that, and to come back and then go and beat Watford and which was very special.

 

“The run that we had, it was going to be nerve wracking near the end. It was closer than you’d want. But to get the result again, Sheffield United will take some beating. [But] I think my favourite game was my old club Middlesbrough.

 

“I thought we absolutely turned the tables that night – we didn’t feel inferior, then, regarding our challenge for the rest of the season. We thought ‘if we can do that to a good side…’, because I thought they should have gone up, I thought they were the best side in the play-offs.

 

“So to beat them like we did…I’m sure you were writing stories at half time about how bad we were, Steven, and then to score four goals in the second half and shove it up a few people, it was lovely. I really enjoyed the Sheffield game after Middlesbrough…it’s just been one thing after another really.

You know, I go into the supermarket today and I’ve had five or six selfies and shaking hands, and a guy come up to me, said ‘could I have a word?’. I were in a rush, but I said, yeah, alright.

 

“And he said to me: ‘Our dad was around the first time you were here. He wanted to see Town at Wembley, but he’d never seen them. Fartown (Huddersfield Giants) had got to Wembley, we asked him to go and he wouldn’t go, he said he wanted to wait. So he waited till you got to Wembley and we went as a family, and he died six months later. I can’t begin to tell you the thanks I’ve got for you’.

“I could have cried then, I could do it now. Things like that, you know, I mean, I know I’m a brazen lad, people have a go at me, but things like that do sink home, when you can change people’s lives or give them memories that will last forever. I’m really really proud and this club has been special to me.”