Football Daily - 72+: Neil Warnock’s Christmas Treat

Episode Date: December 24, 2024

Neil Warnock joins Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff for a festive Christmas treat and to look back on some of his favourite memories in football.From bowling and chiropody, to Chris Morgan and Adel Taarabt, Neil Warnock lifts the lid on some of his funniest and memorable stories.He talks about what Christmas is like in the Warnock household and looks back at almost 60 years in football.Plus, find out if Yorkshire puddings are on Neil Warnock’s Christmas dinner!

BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. On the Football Daily, 72 Plus, the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby McEnuff. Hello everybody, Merry Christmas from everyone here at 72 Plus and welcome to our annual special festive edition of the show. With me as ever, it's my right arm, it is Joby, I don't what your christmas nickname would be but joe mackennaff how are you mate yeah very well thanks very very well looking forward to this one and uh always a great time of year and even better because we've got this man with us yeah the busiest man in showbiz no it's not our guest it is joe b mackennaff how busy is the christmas schedule for you and what do your duties entail at Casa McEnough? Well I've got to say now that I'm retired it's a lot more enjoyable than I was playing I was very much a bit of a grinch at this

time of year because you're so focused on playing and recovering and just churning out the games it was not the best of times for me but now I can sit down I can enjoy those roast potatoes and Yorkshire puds on the table and choice of meat, whereas before I'd be looking at them going, oh, I've got to run around a little bit tomorrow. I'm going to have to leave that there. So, no, just nice family one, sisters round, couple of nieces, mum and dad. So, yeah, looking forward to it with a large helping of work as well.

But it's the best time of year, isn't it? Regular listeners to the pod will know that I'm obsessed with Joby's dad, Uncle Melvin, the legend that is Uncle Melvin, a musician extraordinaire. Does he sing anything Christmas Day? Is he involved in any sort of like musical bits and pieces on the day? Does he entertain you? He sings things on most days, let alone Christmas, but he'll be coming with the Guinness Punch. That's his speciality. So looking forward to singing a few of those. I had probably 20 years of looking at it on the table going, oh, I'd love to dive into that.

But now that is me all day long. We'll be bottling it and selling it soon. Anyway, very special guest with us today, Joby, an absolute legend of the game, not just the Football League, but English football in general. Yeah, love him or hate him, you know who he is. Well, I've probably loved him and hated him

at various points of my career. I'm very much in the love part of it now but um listen we have to put a list together of people that we'd like to have on our christmas special and all i will say is this man was absolutely top of that list delighted that he's joined us today and i'm hoping it's because we've got a decent relationship now he used to send people out to smash me all over the pitch but uh we've gotten a little better now so yeah can't wait for it. You've got to watch yourself walking outside that studio. Chris Morgan's probably lurking. Nearly 2,000 games managed, four Uniteds, a town twice, a palace, an athletic and a city. A miracle worker in football and with feet. Corns, calluses but ingrowing toenails are his speciality. Eight

promotions, five times he signed Paddy Kenny, countless chairman, calluses, but ingrown toenails are his speciality. Eight promotions, five times he signed Paddy Kenny, countless chairman, a lot of wine drunk along the way, and one big row with Kevin Muscat. Maybe one with Nuno Espirito Santo as well. This man is the ultimate definition of hated, adored, never ignored, but beneath it all is a husband, father, and a man who loves to drive his tractor. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our 72 Plus Christmas special and welcome Neil Warnock. How are you, Neil? Yeah, very good, thank you.

I thought the 72 Plus, I thought that was meaning I was over the age of 72. So, yeah, it's a good one. It's nice to be. When I was asked by, when I know Joby was on, trust me, it was the one, probably the only one I would do at this time of year. And I'm looking forward to it. I've always spoke well of Joby and enjoyed working with him.

It's my show too, Neil, but yeah, thanks for that. Sorry, Aaron. Aaron, he didn't have loads of players out to get you for sort of the best part of 15, 20 years, did he? So I think this is a little bit of payback between right-backs and left-backs just coming after me and trying to take my kneecaps off. That's a good idea. I only used to say, slow him down.

I didn't say anything nasty. Well, I know lads that have played for you, Neil, and I think it was a little bit more firm than slowing down. Tell us about the young whippet that was, Joby McEnough, from the opposition view. To be fair, when I watched him, one thing he always knew, he was always going to get a

crossing with either foot because full-backs never went tight enough on him. And I could never understand it because I was a winger and I used to hate it when full-backs got tight with me and kicked me and that. So I used to, when we played against him, I used to say, right, McEnough's your man today.

We are going to play 10 against 10. You stick to him and if he goes to the toilet before halftime, you go with him. I didn't probably use those words. But it's on the similar lines. You follow him up that tunnel. The only reason he kept popping crosses in this is because he couldn't shoot.

Neil, what's Christmas like in football? How has it changed over the years? I think back to your days with Scarborough, some of the stories that you've told on podcasts and in your book and along the way way how has Christmas changed from from Scarborough to Sheffield United to QPR to Cardiff moving on and on and on over the years it's never changed for me in that respect I've always done certain things and I've been very lucky really I don't think we got beat on boxing day so it's it's one of those things that I still think success in football is 90-95% man management

I know we've got all these nutritionists and God knows what else telling you what you can do, what you can't do but not for me, I still think getting the best out of the players you've got and you come to Christmas and you're not going to get fitter at Christmas you're already fit by Christmas

so you're not going to lose anything here for a couple of days Neil, by Christmas, so you're not going to lose anything for a couple of days. Neil, just on that one, I did want to ask you, were you a Christmas Day man off, or would you have the lads in, and what do you think the benefits or negatives are with that? Well, I've always, always given them Christmas Day off. I've always said to them, going back to Nunleague, Gainsborough and Burton Albion as well as Scarborough, I always said to them, look, I'm not having you in.

Some lads used to travel three hours there and back, an hour and a half a year, an hour back. And I said, I don't want anybody driving in the car for three or four hours to train when you don't want to be here. I want you to stay at home, own the presents with the kids, the missus, enjoy yourself, have a lunch, steady lunch, and then try and go for a walk in the afternoon at some stage, just for half an hour if you get a chance with the kids, the missus, enjoy yourself, have a lunch, steady lunch, and then try and go for a walk in the afternoon at some stage, just for half an hour,

if you get a chance with the family, just to get a bit of fresh air, I said, and then you'll be ready on Boxing Day because it's a big game on Boxing Day. I'm trusting you. Imagine if we get beat on Boxing Day, it's all going to come down to my fault for giving you the time off.

So I'm trusting you with my life and I want you to repay me now by being ready when that whistle goes on Boxing Day that we are right up for it you've enjoyed your relax and we're at it and that's how I've trekked Christmas Day

Boxing Day all my career job but that's not in that name in the Premier League in non-league I've always given them that day off and then if we were know if we were playing away from home on boxing day we'd come in probably if it was a long way we would come in late

christmas night and travel uh and then just have sandwiches when we get there so listen i know i've had them all these fitness guys come to me you know in pre-season when we're doing pre-season and they say i think we've done enough gaffaffer. I said, dear, really? Well, you watch this, son. I used to do so many laps, me, like six laps with these hurdles and I used to do it and the lads all knew what were coming

and lads that are listening to this will remember it as well. So I said to look, I'm going to do sort of four. I might do four. So he said, right, and we come to the third and we do the third and the guy would say, we've had enough. I said, oh, right, really? So I said, I might do four. So he said, right, and we come to the third,

and we do the third, and the guy would say, we've had enough. I said, oh, right, really? So I said, I'll tell you now, you watch this. So I pull them all in, the lads. So I know I've only got one to do, but they don't know that, because in the time I said, come on, we're only doing six.

You know, I'd throw that in while we're waiting and having a drink. So I'll get them in and I say, look, lads, you've done well for me so far. I'll tell you what I'm going to do. You're only going to have one more if you beat the best time that you've already done. If you don't beat that time, that's fine, but, you know, you're doing another three.

So it's up to you. I used to knock ten seconds off the time, you know, five seconds. And this guy stood inside of me and I said, sorry, they've had enough now, All right, off you go now. And it's still, you know, I know they've got a job to do. But I think sometimes you can let your staff become too important. I've always gone on my gut instinct on whether. And my lads, really, I think, you know, in my time, and especially Championship,

if you said who you don't want to play against in the Championship, I bet I was high on the list with my teams. Because you didn't want to play against in the championship, I bet I was high on the list with my teams because you didn't want to play against my teams. They were bloody horrible to play against. Neil, how has Christmas changed for you since retirement? Because between the years of 1967 and 2022, you were involved with football on Boxing Day every single year without fail.

So what does Christmas Day look like in Shea Warnock these days? To be fair, we never get out of our pyjamas till the afternoon. We open the presents in his pyjamas. Are you a matching pyjamas family? No, we're not, no. Good. No, we're not. Mine are pretty boring.

But the kids, you know, they come round even though they're grown up now. Amy and William, they come round even though they're grown up now. Amy and William, they come round. And my big kids, I'll ring them up on the Christmas morning, James and Natalie, up in Yorkshire. So it's, you know, I speak to the grandkids. It's just a lazy time, really. And like you've said, Joe, you don't get the enjoyment that you get when you retire, do you?

You don't get the enjoyment, but you miss the adrenaline pump, you know, when you know that you don't get the enjoyment but you miss the adrenaline pump you know when you know what's coming the next day oh i i love boxing day for me i would like as much as you make those sacrifices in terms of the lack of alcohol maybe not as eating as much as you want i would always look at it like i know if i do this right there'll be a couple of people that haven't done it right when i turn out on boxing day and. And I know that I'll be able to sort of get the edge off them. And you have to get in that mindset because it is a difficult time. Everyone's off. It's a brilliant time of year for everybody. But, you know, you've got to just make sure you're in that zone and you keep going.

So, yeah, throughout my career, you know, it wasn't a time that I sort of got to engage with that because I think there's a fine line, isn't there? But since, you know, you have got the sort of luxury of really just letting everything go and enjoying it yeah 100%

to be fair when I first started I went to Burnt Albion and it brought back memories the FA Cup run

of Tamworth yeah because Tamworth were our local derby and in those days I mean we're talking 80s

we played Tamworth on Boxing Day home or away and we played them again on Boxing Day, home or away, and we played them again on New Year's Day. You know, so if there was Assel in that first game, you knew they were going to be Assel in the second game.

And, you know, I can visualise Tamworth's dressing room now, you know, and smile to myself. It's a typical Neil Warnock dressing room, really. I can imagine him chucking a bucket of water before we turn up on the floor there.

So it's, I think they've got spurs, I think, in the next cup, haven't they? So it'll be interesting. I look forward to that. Which club did you manage

where you're like, you know what, I've got the best dressing room, I've got the best camaraderie, you've got the best unit? Because I remember watching that Sheffield United documentary the year you missed out

on the playoffs and that was a really fascinating insight. It's very, very unique because there was a sort of a gap between where people didn't make football documentaries. I think it was after Orient for a Fiver with John Sitton because it destroyed his career. But you gave such an insight, and it was phenomenal. What I did there is I trusted the guy.

They were a company from Leeds, and I trusted the guy. I'd worked with the guy who was in charge in the media, and I said to him, look, I don't want this, because I hate, absolutely hate documentaries when I watch them like that. And I said, I don't want this to be rubbish. What I want you to do is I'm going to be myself. I'm not going to think about anything that I've got around my neck

during the match day or whatever it is, but because I'm going to do myself i'm not going to think about anything that i've got around my neck during what i'm the match day or whatever it is but because i'm going to do it that way you have to let me have a look at it before we do anything and if there's something in my language or something else that i don't like or something in a certain situation we take it away but i don't want to lessen how i am as a manager and we didn't we. I did exactly. I mean, some of the shows, I mean, poor old Morgz. But we do have a laugh about it now, you know. Who's picking Lescott up? And, you know, Morgz, when I speak to him on the phone,

I said, who is picking Lescott up, Morgz? You know, and he'll have a laugh. But, I mean, the thing about me, I give rollickings out after games and only when I thought they needed it. But I went to do a press conference after and I'd come back into the dressing room, everything's gone. Nothing, no, you know, I had some managers who let things dwell for weeks if they shouted at me, you know, and what have you.

I never, ever worried about anybody else. I had some managers who let things dwell for weeks if they shouted at me, you know, and what have you. I never, ever worried about anybody else. When I come back in after press, it had all gone, we're on to the next game, no criticism. But it was the way I was. I had to let it go how I felt if they let him down. You know, I was talking to Joby about Man United a minute ago and I've seen Dallert. I saw the ball drop him for one of their goals

and my right back would have gone up headed it gone through the lad knocked him flying and they'd have been off and he backs off and they cross the ball

and they score a goal and I'm thinking I just couldn't have that mate and I think and then they wonder why then you know they're not really up

for it at the minute you've got to I always say I know I use that phrase you've got to die for three points but you've got to care You've got to, I always say, I know I use that phrase, you've got to die for three points, but you've got to care. You've got to want to win your own battle,

for goodness sake. Neil, Paddy Kenny gave an interview and he told a story about you in a certain state of undress with Sudocrem. You're applying Sudocrem on yourself after having a shower, but you were constantly giving the players

that famous rollicking. But is the story true? In those days, probably when I first signed him, yeah. And I don't, I mean, Paddy, I think that might be his claim to fame, really. I still contact him, you know, he's a lovely lad. And the thing about Paddy Kenny is, I remember going to, I signed him from Bradford Park Avenue, I think,

if I remember right. And he'd come with us and we trained him and everything and I just liked him. I thought, do for me, this kid. And I said, look, Paddy, I'm going to send you to Whitby on loan. I said, yeah, I want to toughen you up. I want you to go up there. I said, it's a nice place and blah, blah I said, yeah, I want to toughen you up. I want you to go up there.

I said, it's a nice place and blah, blah, blah. Anyway, I cut a long story short. About three weeks later, one night he rang me, he said, Gaffer. I said, how's it going, Paddy? He went, Gaffer, it's so cold. Cold up here, I can't even feel my fingers. Well, you're coming back in a few weeks and you'll enjoy it.

And it sort of made him him and the thing about goalies is when you look at goalies and I've seen some mistakes this last few weeks on the telly I could count on one hand how many mistakes Paddy Kenny would do

in a season and it would be very rarely more than two maybe three but never you know when I look at it today

and that's what your good goalie I remember Cluffy signing Shilton, you know, when I had luncheon with Cluffy, I had a few lunches with him when I were at Knox County as a young manager. And he said, son, 16 points a year, he'll get me. And I mean, I didn't think it were as many as that, but Paddy Kenny were like that with me. I knew that we wouldn't concede anywhere near the goals

because he was in between the streaks. How do you deal then, Neil, with your goalkeeper walking into training one day with his eyebrow missing because it got bitten off? Yeah, well I just pull him and I told him, I said you don't look so good today Paddy

Could you tell me what's happened and Paddy told me about the story. He was somewhere in Halifax and somebody said something and somebody did this and somebody did that. And I think all I said to him, well, I hope it doesn't affect you playing your next game, son. I said, forget a good result in your play.

Well, nothing will happen. If you play rubbish, you'll be hearing from me. So it's up to you, son. And he played out of his skin, as you would expect. I mean, that with Paddy Kenny, you know, there was always something coming, going to crop up at some stage, but a real good kid. So we've heard you give the lads Christmas day off.

What about the Christmas parties? Because obviously, especially a few years ago, they were quite infamous. Was there any a time where you had to cancel them if form wasn't good or you were a bit worried about what it might look like? Or is that, again, something you always had set in stone? You'd give them a certain amount of time and regardless of what happened, they'd go and have the time.

I think it's gone earlier and earlier now, hasn't it, really? I mean, I think the last one I had, the last lads, I think it was somewhere like end of November, you know, and it was sensible. I think, you know, I think it was somewhere like end of November. Yeah. You know, and they were sensible. I think, you know, they'd fly out somewhere. I remember, I can't remember which club it was now, and I remember how bad it got when I got a phone call that somebody at one of the parties infiltrated.

I was told, fortunately, before it happened, a young lady was going to go, a cover-run young lady for a tabloid, that she was going to go where our lads were going and she was going to get some stories. And fortunately, I managed to get hold of the skipper before it happened and told him, marked his card, and, you know, it went by without any hassle. Well, that's the challenge and i

think for me that was always something that again you go to the gaffer nice and early sort of ear marker time that you felt was reasonable to maybe go away it used to be maybe a couple of days you know you'd go on a saturday have the sunday maybe get the monday off and um again it was a time where i think for players particularly when you know what's coming you know around the christmas and new year period it's so busy just that little outlet you know what's coming, you know, around the Christmas and New Year period, it's so busy. Just that little outlet, you know, for the group to go away.

And I'm a massive believer in having that social time away from the training ground. You get lads who come out the shells a little bit more, maybe relationships that, you know, you don't have in and around

the training ground. And all of a sudden, you come off the back of a Christmas do. I remember going into some in terrible runs of form. And then you have your time away and you come back and then you have your time away and you come back

and then you get those better relationships forming and I think it's a shame now that there's so much scrutiny for groups of players that you have to be so careful. I remember once, Jodie, I can't remember exactly

which one it was. I think it might have been Cardiff. But anyhow, I remember him coming like this, you know, we want to go after the game on Saturday, we're going to go,

I think it was Sweden or, not Sweden, but somewhere away. We're going to go so-and-so, so we're going to go, I think it was Sweden, not Sweden, but somewhere away. We're going to go so-and-so, so-and-so, so nobody will see us. We're going to come back on Sunday night, Monday, and could we have Monday off? I said, no, you can't.

So he looked at me. I said, I don't want to see any of you till next Thursday. I said, you'll have Monday off, Tuesday off, then you'll have a walk, hopefully, and have a nice stretch on Wednesday, which I normally give them Wednesday off. I said, but then Thursday we will work hard and for next Saturday.

That's how I dealt with it. Brilliant. You used to have sort of the template, didn't you? I mean, those infamous trips to Scarborough, getting everyone in the sea, that was key to your team building process. Yeah, it was. I mean, I enjoyed it.

I don't see any reason why you don't do that now, mate. I can see Michael Tong and Curtis Woodhouse, I think it were, having to take their shirts off and just run into the sea with their shorts on. And we were just throwing, we made circles on the sand and we all got stones. And it was chucking them into their circle and the furthest away, you know, and we had got stones and it was chucking them into their circle and the furthest away

you know, and we had one round, two rounds and then the final and then obviously the lads all got behind him and the lads never quibbled, they never, you know off they went in the bloody sea and it was absolutely freezing and I had a few good times, Scarborough

I made a few quid up bowling there and I remember that was one of my best because nobody knew that. For about a year, I actually worked at a bowling alley when I was 18. And I averaged around about the 200 mark then. Wow. 210.

I was pretty good at that. You had your own ball. Yeah, so I had my own ball, gloves, everything. What a guy. Because when they all chipped 20 quid in, I think it was Pesky Salido who came to see me. Pesky, lovely lad. And he said, Gaffer, you know, what about we were up here with bowling alley?

Yeah, all right. I said, see if we put 20 quid in here or whatever it was. 10 quid, 20 quid. So they all put it in. And then I get my ball out. I think I shot about 230. I can imagine the boy's face. It's just, hang on a minute.

The gap is clean and that's out. Well, the mouse were wide open. And of course, they're all there at the end and Pesky obviously presented me with the money and I just smirked and smiled as I walked off with my own ball. You know, put it away again till the next. I tell you, you mentioned Paul Pesky Salida there, he comes in a

long line of generals, we've talked about Paddy Kenny already, Chris Morgan's been mentioned you've got them, Sam Allardyce has got them everyone's got them the generals, the lieutenants how do you build that army and who would be on your list of lieutenants? I think you just get that

feeling, don't you, when you go in dressing rooms, probably I look around the clubs that feeling, don't you, when you go in dressing rooms. Probably, I look around the clubs that I've been at, and, you know, we went into Cardiff and they were really struggling at the bottom, but you looked around the dressing room and they had Gunnarsson, Midfield, Morrison at the back, QPR, had Helgeson and Kaspergaard. Yeah, Kaspergaard.

Deser was there. Clint Hill. One size. You know, and it was just, so they were leaders. You don't get that type of player nowadays. Now, with Huddersfield, I didn't, when I was at Rotherham, when I went to Rotherham, we had Kirk Broadfoot and one or two other lads in the 30s.

So we had a spine down that side, you know, and then I looked at the Huddersfield. It was slightly different there. There were nice lads, you know, there weren't really any what I'd call open-atom leaders and such. So we had to be a little bit different there. We had to sort of take one or two lads. Michael Hellick,

Michael Hellick, the centre half, and Tom Lees. I never heard him speak in 20 years, me, Tom. But what a lovely lad. So we had to do it a different way. They had to be a leader by example. And Hellick, for me, was the best centre. He should be playing higher up. For me, he should be top of the championship,

Hellick, you, a good player, and could have done even better, I think. So, you know, you've got that gist of it, and so you put more onto them. And, you know, I've enjoyed the sort of, you know, getting clubs safe just as much as getting promotion, if I'm honest.

The Rotherham thing, I mean, we should have had nowhere near had a chance of staying up there. Do you think that's the best, I mean, the hardest promotion, Joe, but if I'm honest, the Rotherham thing, I mean, we should have had nowhere near, had a chance of, of staying up. Do you think that's the best, I mean, the Huddersfield, honestly,

Neil, listen, I've covered a lot of football, I've seen a lot of teams that are really struggling, that Huddersfield job, honestly, for me, you know,

was one of the best. I could not see any way that that team was going to survive. Like you just said, for those reasons, maybe a lack of leadership, you know, maybe a lack of goals, whatever it was, but, you seem to be able, for those reasons, maybe a lack of leadership, maybe a lack of goals, whatever it was.

But you seem to be able to, Josh Caroma, prime example of that, was struggling a little bit. You go in there, had a really good chat with him about it. I know him well. And just the way of getting something out of a player. I just loved him.

He was a rogue. He told me a story. A likable rogue. He said, you went in there and he said, look, you've not quite been at the level you need to be. I think you can go and win us games of football. So what I'm going to do, I'm going to look at the opposition and whatever fallback's the least effective getting forward, that's going to be your man.

But do not ever let that fallback run past you. If you do, you're banging trouble. And just finding those little ways to get a little bit more out of lads. I know for a fact that really helped. And he was sensational for you. He didn't think he could do that. Right. And I think he realised that he appreciated

that I was going to give him the best chance of doing that. But I always said to him, look, lads, when I went to every club I go in and when I do the training session, I always say, listen, lads, you know forwards are going to get the stick. I said, well, when our referee games, you know, centre-halves, what are they? Big, audible, usually ugly. They edit and kick it. They don't have to worry about creating things

like you lads up front. So I will never have a go at you lads if you get the ball and run at people and lose. Whereas these guys, you know, they don't get any stick. They don't get any blame. But you win us the game. And I just love, you know, they don't get any stick, they don't get any blame but you win us the game and I just love, not

Josh, but all the clubs I've been at I love the excitement even as a manager, I love the excitement when I was just watching Sheffield United I remember the wingers, you know we had a lad, Ronnie Simpson

left winger at Sheffield United he was bald and all the ground would cheer if he ever headed a ball it was such an unusual such an unusual thing and you know

all church on the other side but they excited me I knew and if you look at all my teams they've always got people that excite you

I want to you know but you know listen my teams don't pass it around at the back I mean they started teams, they've always got people that excite you. I want to, you know, but, you know, listen, my teams don't pass it around at the back. I mean, they started giving me, sort of putting me in a Notts County, put a label in me, a long ball. But I mean, I spoke to Craig Short the other day, Craig.

When I went to Notts County, we had a back four that couldn't pass water. So we weren't going to pass it around. Neil, you say that people labelled your side and your style as long ball at Notts County. I just want to know what you think of the condemnation of that style is. Because there are many ways to get a job done, but it feels like there is this trickle down from the Premier League into the Football League where everyone wants to be playing this ticky-tacker. And sometimes they just get embarrassed by it.

I watch defences left, right and centre every day of the week where the players aren't good enough to play, but the managers insist. I know they do. I mean, it's a shame, really. I mean, I think from a management point of view, you've got to try and win. If you're in it, you've got to win games. And you've got to win games by either being tactically better if you've not got better players, or you've got to come up with a solution, etc.

But I still don't understand how anybody can say we're going to play this way come what may. I don't, honestly. I mean, you know, I've looked at it over the last couple of years, and, you know, people, like I say, have a go at me, but I said, listen, if you watch Liverpool, this is in the heyday, they whack that ball. They put balls over the top like you've never seen.

We're hearing Rush and Daglish and all them, but that's not long ball if it's Liverpool. If it's Notts County and Neil Warnock, it's long ball. There's a time and a place for long ball, even now in the modern game where teams push up, you know the goal is going to knock it now and then and try and catch them out. But what I don't understand is

I watched a game a few weeks ago and the team's losing 1-0 and we're in 89th minute and they get a free kick on the half-way line and they take it short. The opposition close them down, it goes from one side to the other, opposition close them down.

In the end, it went back to the keeper, and they're losing 1-0 in the 89th minute, and I'm thinking to myself, why don't you put the centre-halves up in the box and take a free kick, and put it in the box and try and get a second ball? I just, I don't think that's tactical genius, mate. I think it's bloody stupidity, mate, when I watch it.

The other day I saw a couple of goals conceded when the goalie passed it down. What's the point of a goalie passing it out if the kid who's receiving it has not got an alternative to play somewhere when it's safe? You don't give it out if they've got people on it. I'm sorry, but I love to watch, you know,

sometimes I'm on my chair when I watch Arsenal and what have you, and I go, oh, no. But they get away with it because they've got so much quality. But they get away with it. But lesser mortals can't get away with that because if there's a weakness, the higher you go, the opposition will find that weakness Do you think football is becoming a bit boring

in terms of that sort of style particularly, you don't get as many like you say, crosses into the box, maybe shots it's always that sort of, people want to cut back and keep the ball and then recycle it rather than getting in a position just to whip it But when you see them in a position on the outside in the box

and you look in the box, there's nobody there, is there? So you think, well, you can understand why they're not going to cross there. But then they come back, don't they, and build it. Who was it a couple of weeks ago where they were down to 10 men, might have been Man City, and they had the ball all the time and going side to side and side. But in fairness to Man City,

I mean, they've been the best side last few years. I remember at Cardiff we've played 25-30 minutes we're doing well we've had a couple of chances and our goal is made a couple of seconds but 0-0 30 minutes gone

we're coming at half time with 3-0 down and the third goal the score's the third goal and I'm the manager of the opposition and I'm saying what a fantastic third goal. And I'm the manager of the opposition, and I'm saying, what a fantastic goal that is. And I'm the manager, and we were 3-0 down. I mean, talk about different players in the time.

David Silva. David Silva, Joby, was my favourite. Little David Silva. Obviously, you weren't around then, but when I was a kid, Bobby Charlton, they said, he's lazy. He's a lazy player. I was a kid Bobby Charlton they said he's lazy he's a lazy player but when you watch Bobby Charlton

he wasn't lazy he just he could walk into a position to get the ball that other players would have to run and sprint because he had a brain and he made it look easier

and David Silva was very similar I'd never seen anybody like that team over the last few years when I looked at it. They had a bit of everything, not just the creativity, but they had that nastiness and all in the team.

They're great. A lot of time for Pep. Everybody said, yeah, he's always had the best players. But I know what's in his mind now. He knows now that in the next 12 months, 18 months, if he does the same again, he's a miracle man. Because he knows he's got injuries, but he'll be already planning ahead what he's going to do.

Because I think as a manager, he's as good as I've ever come across in my whole life. Perfect time for us to hear a clip from You'll Never Beat Karl Walker with Karl and Michael Brown talking about when Neil Warnock met Pep Guardiola. Pep's come over to me and he says, the two people that I'd really, really like to get to know, right, is Neil Warnock and Sam Allardyce.

And I went, well, I'll bring Neil Warnock to the next game if you want. He was like, perfect, invite him. And he came in and, you know, they had a good conversation. I don't think Pep probably understood a word he was saying. It went something like this right, it went something like that, I've got to be careful here because I could get a tone out, so Pep's

talking about football and life and everything and it's really nice and Neil's obviously just loving it and then he's like saying, that Ake guy he surprised me, he's done much better Pep hasn't he, do you know I wasn't sure

that he was going to be at the level when you first signed him that Ake guy and he goes and that Doki

Doki is it Doki Doki Doki guy yeah he's looked alright hasn't he Pep

he's looked alright good Kyle's gone Pep's quite good you know he has had Messi

he's quite decent and I was crying I was like surely he's gone that high. I was thinking, Pep can transform a bit of a player in here. There you go. That series available on BBC Sounds. You'll never beat Karl Walker.

There's two players that owe me big time. Bloody. They wouldn't have a career if I hadn't got involved. I'll tell you that now. And Brownie, I couldn't. Nobody would have him, he was on loan at Portsmouth, he'd been bombed out of Man City.

I went to watch him once he was playing on left wing and I thought, I met him, what a likeable little rogue he was. Another one, I've always seemed to get those type of players,

but what a player I made him. I mean, he did it himself as well, he worked hard. Some of the goals he gave us in the promotion season, 20 and whatever, 25, 30 yards against Sheffield Wednesday in

a derby and things like that I'll never forget. But a lovely lad, I know. Both lads are. I'm pleased for Kyle. He's gone on to play and he's been a good player, hasn't he? England-wise. Deary me. We're talking too much football, Neil. I want you to talk feet to me and Sheropody,

and in particular, a chairman at Notts County. Yeah, Derek. Derek Pabish, yeah. I used to do his feet because he had bad feet, suffered with this ingrowing toenail. And to be fair, my speciality was ingrowing toenails. I was really, really... I could have done that without a shadow of a doubt.

What, so if you weren't a manager, Neil, that would have been your calling in life? Yeah, I had a surgery, and I used to go around to British-owned stores and House of Fraser and all them places doing the staff's fee. So I had a... Sorry, no, no, no, back up, back up, back up.

Let's go back to Derek Pabst. British-owned stores used to go and do the staff's feet. What was it, just a rolling contract? How did it work? When I first got the surgery, I only had enough patients for two days. So I thought, how am I going to get some more patients in? So, of course, I rang these departments,

the employees people, I forget what they call them. And I said, look, I've got a half a day spare. And I ended up getting six of them for half a day, which filled up my ear in a week, really. So I was quite clever at that. But I was, you know, like I say, my ingrowing toenail was my special. Because a lot of old chiropodists in that day, they would just take your nail off.

But I could save the nail. I was good because I had good eyesight and good with my scalpel Derek Pabst was one of

them and I could do it without hurting him and I remember one day he really got on my nerves the

chairman he'd come up and he'd said he started talking and didn't know anything about football Derek and he started

talking about tactics and all that and I said to him Derek where have you gone listen to you talking about why I didn't play him and so on and so on.

I said, who have you been talking to? Well, I had a chat with so-and-so. I said, well, who is he? He's Gardner. He's been talking to his Gardner, and he's telling me about what I should be doing. So anyhow, he bugged me, so he'd come in to have his toenail done. I remember saying to Mick Jones, my assistant then,

Mick, sit in other office. Leave your door ajar now. So I'm going to do Derek's feet and of course he comes in and he sits there and I'd started doing his ingrowing toenail and I shoved that little thing

a little bit further than I normally do and he went, oh, I'm sorry, Derek. I said he was right stuck in this time this morning. I'm sorry about it. Oh, I did enjoy it.

Who was the last player you looked after feet-wise? I think Rotherham. I might have been one at Rotherham. But only if the physio was doing it, I'd have a look, that's all, and said to him what I felt. I'm assuming you were always very much getting a chiropodist in. It's amazing looking back on it now. I can only probably recall a couple of clubs

where we'd have a regular chiropodist come in and look after the last feet you know well even at torquay now where i am they've got a chiropractor i mean she's ever so good she does my back and it's brilliant yeah so i hope i won a lot didn't i you know and uh she's only a small lady and she jumps on my back and that pushes that knee and i thought there's a few people would love to be in that position now with me on my face down and jumping on my back so it's uh yeah it's good he's had his pluses i was gonna say you you you were able to do derrick paves his feet and you looked after him i wonder if uh simon jordan would have let you near his or maybe flavio or bernie q QPR because QPR, again, we talk about you and football documentaries.

Mad. Four-year plan. Mad. What an incredible documentary. I'll tell you something, Neil. I can give you that documentary word for word. We played Saturday and Monday and on the Friday,

Adele come to me, Gaffer, I have to go home. What's the Friday Adele come to me Turab come to me Gaffer I have to go home to what's up Adele you know oh my my my mother

is very my friend's been shot and my mother's very upset and all that I said well listen families are more important off he went I said you come

you come back but I want you back I'll be back yes I'll be back so off he went and we got beat four come back, but I want you back on Sunday. I'll be back, yes, I'll be back. So off he went. And then we got beat four at Scunthorpe on the Saturday and we were playing Barnsley away on the Monday. And on the Sunday, I said, we've got to get Tarbs.

We need Tarbs. So I said to my secretary, he's coming in Sunday. I know he is. Don't let him go. Don't let him go on his own. So she rang me, he's in. I said, right, we'll stop with him. And then he wants to go home. I said, no, don't let him go home. I'll she rang me he's in i said right we'll stop with him and then he

wants to go home i said no don't let him go i'll get somebody now to drive him home and wait for him and bring him up so they did all that so it comes up anyhow in the meantime i had a phone call from a policeman who somebody had contacted them from down south and somebody, they got one of our lads' passports being found. So I said, who is it? You can imagine. Tarbs. It's his passport

they found. So I knew he hadn't been home. So he comes up on the Sunday night and, you know, they bring him home and I said to him, right,

everything all right at home? Oh, yes, thank you. I said, oh, your mother all right in France? Yeah, yeah, yes, thank you. And everything, yeah, yeah, yeah, good, I said.

So what am I doing with this in my hand? And I threw him his passport. Anyway, his mouth opened. He didn't know what to say. I said, this is yours. It was found in Southend. So how can you be in France if your passport's in Southend? I said, I don't want you to answer that, Adele.

You're playing tomorrow. If we don't win tomorrow, I'm going to hammer you. Do you understand? And off you go. Now, I don't want to see you that, Adele. You're playing tomorrow. If we don't win tomorrow, I'm going to hammer you. Do you understand? And off you go. Now, I don't want to see you again. Go away. And off he went. And he scored after 10 seconds at Barnsley.

We won 1-0. But in the meantime, Flavio had been ringing, and Gianni was good with me, Gianni Palladini. And Flavio, oh, we need to get rid of the manager. The manager, you know, he's no good. He's not going to get anything now. We're never going to get promotion. We need to get rid of the manager. The manager, you know, he's no good. He's not going to get anything now. We're never going to get promotion. We need to get rid of him.

Johnny's saying, Neil, don't worry, don't worry. I said, well, listen up, Tim. And anyhow, Bernie must have heard and he phoned me. Neil, don't take any notice of him. Just carry on with the job and all that. But that's how it was. I mean, you saw the four-year plan. To get success despite the four-year plan, Aaron,

were a miracle, weren't they? And do you know, it was one of the best seasons of my life. You look like you're enjoying yourself there. And that's, you know, after what you've been through with Palace and the administration there, that must have been, you know,

really, really difficult. The heartbreak from Sheffield United. Going into QPR, other side of London, very, very different dynamic to the football club yeah it was ready for someone to take it and just make it successful wasn't it but yeah you it felt like whilst you were you were talking to one side of the room you had your arm against the door because you had briatore but bernie eccleston there's that really famous clip where they go down to

the dressing room and he stood there with flavio Briatore and he picks up a bottle of juice and he's like, we need to cut back on this expenditure. You're thinking, mate, mate, it's a fart in a hurricane. What are you doing? But things like that, I think it just made it more realistic, didn't it? I mean, it couldn't have worked out better for him, really, because we got promotion dead right four years, wasn't it? The four-year plan. But it was, the club itself was, I think, remarkable

and I loved every minute of it. I never, when I was a player or when I started management, I used to think, no way will I ever manage below Watford. It's the pits. I never want to go to London. Whoa, whoa, whoa, Neil. I honestly thought that. And in the end, Simon Jordan, he

was as good as a chairman as I've had Simon. And, you know, what he comes over, you know, he's blonde and bronzed and everything,

isn't he? And everything that you, you know, but he was really good. And one of the times where I, we got beat at home

when I was at Crystal Palace, four. And of course, I said to me, well, we can't do any more with this lot, we'll have to go. one of the times where I we got beat at home when I was at Crystal Palace four and of course I said to Mick well we can't do any more with this lot we'll have to go I said and gave him a chance to anyway he comes in and I'm thinking he's going to come in and tell me

and I said listen Simon it's not working it's not fair on you that I said what do you mean not fair you're the best manager of the blah blah blah you're the only one he, so stop feeling sorry for yourself and get off and get ready for... That's how he were. He were amazing. And I can't speak highly

enough of him. And I've had some good ones. I mean, like at Cardiff, to deal with Vincent, I had Mehmet Dalman and if I hadn't have had him dealing with Vincent, I couldn't have done it. There's a massive difference, isn't there, between being a head coach and a manager.

Absolutely. And just going back, obviously having to manage up and dealing with that hierarchy at times, but also going back to Adel Tarap, and I remember that season in particular, for me, one of the most outstanding individual seasons anyone's put together at that level. But I know you did have to find a way to get the best out of him.

Mikel Ledgerwood, a good, good friend of mine, he'd tell me all he wants to do a way to get the best out of him. Mikel Ledgettwood, good, good friend of mine. He'd tell you. He'd tell me. All he wants to do in training is just knock my people every day and he can kill the lads. He did that. I mean, when he got the ball, when I first watched him,

he got the ball. I remember the first training session and he had, it was red hot day, absolutely red hot day. He got black gloves on. I said, who's that? He went, oh,

you don't want to know him, Gapper. That's Tarabi. He'll get you the sack him. What do you mean get you? And that's how, you know, know him that's Tarabi he'll get you the sack him what do you mean get you and that's how he said oh he'll just get you the sack

I could see that we couldn't score goals so after that first session I remember saying to him Adele come here you're not playing now no no I train with the youngsters

and I said I know see that I said well you know on Saturday I'm going to play on Saturday and you know if you're **** on Saturday Adele I'm going to play you on Saturday and you know if you're **** on Saturday

Adele I'm going to play you the next game and if you're bad the next game I'm going to play you the next game do you understand you're going to save us this year and then we're going to have a go next year and he's thinking

bloody hell I'm not even training with the first team I'm playing Saturday against West Brom top of the league and we ended up beating West Brom that day and it was sometimes when you look at players, you look at what they're not good at

instead of looking at what they're good at. Absolutely. And his talent was unbelievable. And so I only had one season. Only about two years ago, I think I was at Middlesbrough or something like that, he texted me to say, Gaffer, I'll come, and he did look well, he did look fit. He said, Gaffer, I'll come again and play for you again. He said, I'm fit, look at me, and I'd sent me to say, Gaffer, I'll come. And he did look well. He did look fit. He said, Gaffer, I'll come again and play for you again.

He said, I'm fit. Look at me. And I took me a picture. And I texted him back. I said, Adele, once in my lifetime is enough for you. Can't do any more than once. All right. So we had a laugh.

But it just showed, yeah. Neil, I just want to sort of get away from football and go back to home life and talk about your beloved wife, Sharon. I mean, your opportunity to pay tribute to her because it's probably not been an easy ride following you up and down the country. Considering you always say to her, one last job or I ain't taking anything else. But she's had her own setbacks and her struggles with illness. And, you know, you've been there for her. How has it been managing footballers and then going home and sort of being Neil Warnock's husband and father as well? I think the good thing about Sharon is she doesn't really like football.

I know it sounds silly, but probably a good thing, because football doesn't mean a thing to her, you know. She'd rather be Mrs Smith, really, going down the road than my Mrs. And so in a way that would respect, it's been good because you go home and you haven't had to take it. When you manage it, you know, it is hard. You go home after a defeat and although you're watching telly and you're trying to be sociable, you can't switch off.

It's in your mind what you're going to do, what you're going to say tomorrow, what you're going to do, you know, blah, blah, and so it's it is hard and i mean you mentioned it when i think back i've been a manager 50 odd years on it i've been involved it is incredible when you think in it and it's uh oh i did 16 games and that was enough for me nil so uh did you yeah but you've got gray hair you see well i was all right until I took that job, yeah. You see, my hair's very good looking, the natural of my hair. So it is, it's hard for the,

same with the kids. You know, James is involved as well now, my older lad, and Natalie's up there. They're near Leeds. And then down here, William played for a while and had a bad injury at one point, but he's into golf. And I'm ever so pleased he's in golf because he's very, very good at what he does.

I'm not saying he's going to go any further, but he's happy. And I love to watch. Toby, I go and carry for him when I can, you know. And I know they do these tubes, don't they? Well, I think it is tubes. They do these golf things because I can't play. So I say, look, I'll do my stuff. I tee off the fairways, me.

And I only do the par threes. And he can't beat me. He can't beat me on the par threes. He's like in such a, oh, I love watching him. And Amy's a radiotherapist at True Ram, so I'm really proud. I mean, I couldn't go into something like that. I mean, she contributes. It's amazing what they do, you know, people at the hospitals, isn't it?

Incredible. So the family life does take a back seat, but I think you just rally around, really. It's the same with players, isn't it? You know, you have a bad game or you have an injury. I think that's the big difference. I will say, just having done it for a real short period of time, you know, I think as a player, even when you've had a bad game or you have an injury. I think that's the big difference. I will say, just having done it for a real short period of time. I think as a player, even when you've had a bad game,

listen, it does affect you, of course it does, and you do take it home with you. But I think you can almost compartmentalise it as an individual situation as a player. I might not have had the best game. When you're a manager, you could have had the best week's training, you've got everything set out, but there's still something niggling in the back of your mind.

Have I picked the right team? Have I got the opposition analysis right? Someone might make a mistake in the game and that's why you've lost it. And then, like you say, that's with you for the whole weekend or the night after the game. The thing about management for me, Joe, because you've got all that Saturday night,

but whatever happens on that field on that Saturday, when you go into work on the Monday, you can't let anybody know that you're disappointed or you're down or what. You've got to be above that. You know, I'd go in on a Monday morning, I'd pick Morgz or somebody like Jaggi Elke and say,

bloody hell, what's your grandmother wearing today? Have they got a bright jumper on? Or something like that in the dressing room? And, you know, just have a general shift of mood and things like that and off we go again because you can't dwell. They say it's like 1,526 games or something I've done. So you can't dwell on things. You're going to make mistakes, aren't you, in management.

But you've got to get over that as quick as you can. And the only thing about it is, I think, when we had COVID, I was at Middlesbrough, or Steve Gibson asked me to go up there. And if I'm honest, I never tried harder in my life to give the Middlesbrough fans something to brighten the lives up at that time. And I thought, right, my press conferences, I've got to tell stories, I've got to have a laugh, I've got to have a joke, I've got to make things good.

So I made it my job to try and be like that. And I was really pleased at how I went there. And I thought, I always remember my time there. I still felt that we could have got promoted the year that I left there. But, you know, that's how you do when you press conferences I've always enjoyed press conferences and you know

making having a go at one because listen people have my shows that are coming up Joe I've got some shows that are going to come up

I never thought my dad would absolutely turn his if he thought I was going to do the London Palladium and I'm looking I'm hoping I can get

Tarbs and some of the Palace lads, you know, QPR and Palace fans and that. Listen, if anyone was made to headline that venue, it was Neil. Absolutely. Hey, also, Ashton Gate. I mean, they're the team that has given me the stick over the years. So I said to my man, I need to go to Ashton Gate now.

Why are you not doing one at the Den? Well, we're doing one at the Palladium. Is that too posh for the Den? Well, no. I just think about your relationship with that football club. And I mean, sort of our last-ish football question

is about that incident with Kevin Muscat. What happened with Paddy Kenny, the red card? Because that was pure football gold. And I know there are Millwall fans out there to this day that walk around screaming, that's foot muscat,

because it is one of the best, most bonafide, dyed-in-the-wool EFL lines. But take us back to that day. When Paddy got sent off, I mean, it was a bit, and he was in the tunnel. I mean, the muscat waited and got him going

and all that. And Paddy kicks off. And I had no idea mate we were in the dressing room knock on the door and it's the referee somebody was saying the referee wants to see you

you and Paddy Kenny so I said Paddy come on the ref wants to see you so we go in and he said I'm sending you off I just wanted to tell

what about what had happened in the tunnel because we put Jaggi in goals and because I never had another goal tunnel. Because we put Jaggi in goals. I never had another goalie on. And we put Jaggi in goals and the young lad scored the winner.

The XF Wednesday player. He scored the winning goal in second half. And we went 1-0 down as well at Millwall. We ended up winning 2-1 with Jaggi Elker in goals. I mean, he did that a few times for me Wenger used to

hate playing against my team Wenger and we beat him at Bramall Lane one night and Paddy pulled a muscle

and I had to put Jaggi in goal 0-0 and then we scored a goal second half a super goal from half way

and Jags pulled a couple of good saves off and after Wenger's you know moaning about this said Arsene

I can't do any more for you I put a centre half in goals I can't help you anymore Christian Nardet I remember the goal very very clearly it's a cracking goal he turned the

turned the centre half inside out he did just on Millwall a lot of people feel that's one club that you would have absolutely thrived at. Yeah, I would. I tried to be there.

I must admit, I had a couple of times there. And I always thought they got a rough deal with the press, Millwall. And I said something to them a few years ago, when the chairman had the accident. And they did thank me for, you know, he came to see me when I was there at a game and thanked me for what I'd said, because I said, people don't understand

how much they do off the field, Millwall, regarding the community and everything. All they talk about is the, you know, the minority fans that cause the trouble, but they do an enormous lot of work, and it would have been a typical, I think a typical Neil Warnock team, really, that. I think you would have done some unbelievable things.

I think, again, going back to that documentary, I know I've harped on about it. Best thing when you're coming off the bus at the Den and some fans are giving it to you. Do you like that? I like that. What? Is that it? I know. They were just booing, weren't they?

I thought, can't they do any louder than that? I said, is that it? I know. They were just booing, weren't they? But I thought, can't they do any louder than that? I said, is that it? I just think it's funny, that. I used to always say that at Sheffield Wednesday, you know, with the derbies when I was at United. I'd get off the bus and I said to the lads, you get off first, lads, because they're waiting for me, the fans now.

They used to put these boards about, you used to have to walk about 40, 50 yards to the dressing room at Hillsborough. And then I'd get off and, oh, they'd all be booing. And I'd stop halfway, I'd find a young boy with his dad, and I'd go up to the boy and deliberately, out loud

say, I don't want you to be too disappointed tonight when you go home, so you might have him get beat by us. Don't let your dad be too disappointed, alright? And they'd cuss, they'd all take off again. I love all that. Do you love that though? Do you love,

I call it chumming the water. I mean, there are so many memorable Neil Warnock moments. I think back to that game against Wolves with the Nuno handshake and you just absolutely,

you know, pushing him away. But just, do you love being the villain? Yeah, I do. I mean, I do like that. I mean, I've had some bad deals. You talk about refere Yeah, I do. I mean, I do like that. I mean, I've had some bad deals.

You talk about referees. Dear me. I mean, the FA, I think they should give me my own room when I was at the FA for the number of times they did, mate. You do remember things. I'm glad we haven't talked much about referees.

We've still got time. Why bring down the tone? Still got time, yeah. Neil, well, we haven't really got time, Joby. It's time for your feature. It's time for Jingle Bell, Joby. Neil, we thought we'd have a little bit of fun in this episode. We've got quickfire questions for you, all Christmas related.

So are you ready? Go. Right. First one. Worst Christmas are you ready? Go. Right. First one. Worst Christmas present you've ever received. Oh, dear me. I would imagine something like socks. I've had them a few over the...

Well, that's standard for me. Number two, we're going to go for bread sauce or cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce, definitely. I know bread sauce, all right, but a bit bland for me, that. Sprouts, yes or no? Definitely. Two lots of sprouts. Double health in there.

Ah, I love sprouts. Best Christmas movie? I like that one that has involving, you know, all in the placards. What are they called? Oh, Love Actually? Love Actually. I quite like that. Fancy little cameo in that?

Yeah, I like that. In the remake? No, not really, no. Which of your former players would you invite for Christmas lunch? Well, I mean, there's so many good ones, but there's a lot from different eras all the way through now. You know, even Rob Coslow. I would definitely not have Rob Coslow anywhere near my house at Christmas

because he'd destroy it. Christmas jumper, yes or no? Absolutely, yes. I love Christmas jumpers. And from everyone you've worked with in the EFL, who's on your naughty and nice list? I don't think I would actually come out and say my naughty list, if I'm honest.

And I wouldn't be sat here now if you weren't on my nice list. And I've got to go because I've got to catch my train. And I'm only here because I've come back from holiday and got delayed at Heathrow. I've had a bloody nightmare, and I just want to get off home. Okay, well, that was the point. I thought you might throw referees in there,

but you've swerved that one, so fair enough. Let's go top Christmas song. I like Travelling Home for Christmas, Chris Rea. I've always liked singing that a few times. Travelling home for Christmas. I'm sure it's driving home, isn't it? Driving home. That's it, driving home, son.

Good vocals. Right, I think I know the answer to the next one. Yorkshire pudding on Christmas dinner. Well, who doesn't have Yorkshire pudding? I'm from Yorkshire. I mean, it's a crime if you don't have Yorkshire pudding. Have you ever dressed up as Father Christmas? Yes, I have.

I did it at Notts County once with the children. We had a charity thing and also the families of the players came and we gave presents out and everything. Brilliant. Who from football makes your Christmas card list? Well, fortunately, you don't send cards nowadays, do you? But I think looking at the top flight now, I like Pep and I think Daichi does a great job.

He's had some difficult periods in the last couple of years. But I like Martin down at Southampton. There's quite a lot of managers I've got a lot of time for. You see, you only think I've got the badness in me. Well, that's where we're going to finish, actually. And who from football doesn't make your Christmas card list? I thought there was a long list. I'm not going to give you any of them.

All right, you'll have to come to one of my shows. And you might have a good night at one of my shows. You'll be at the Palladium, Joe, won't you? We're just waiting for an invite, Neil, and I'll be there for sure. I know, I know. So hopefully, yeah. Or have I got to buy my own ticket?

Well, I'll see. I'll see what's what. OK. Lovely. So hopefully, yeah. Or have I got to buy my own ticket? Well, I'll see. I'll see what's what. Okay. Lovely. Thank you very much. Neil Warnock, this has been an absolute joy. Please don't be a stranger.

We've loved having you on. It's been a fascinating insight. Have a very, very merry Christmas and thank you from all of us here at 72 Plus, the home of the EFL from Five Live. Thanks for joining us. Thank you. I do wish everybody have a good Christmas and, you know, let's get ready for another year.

On the Football Daily, 72 Plus, the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby McEnuff.