Warnock, the Referee, the Chiropodist, the Cricket Lover and the Golf Fan!

Neil Warnock's been called a number of things over the years, and few have been flattering. If there is an opinion to be made then Warnock will say it. The 61-year-old has made Arsene Wenger seem tongue-tied in comparison. But behind every perception is a reality as I discovered the other day when I found myself chatting to the man who steered QPR away from relegation last season, and now heads the Championship table before this afternoon's visit to Leicester. Warnock has played for 8 lower league clubs and managed 12 mainly lower league clubs, although he did enjoy a spell in the Premier League with his beloved Sheffield United, and in doing so has joined the exclusive bunch of bosses with over a thousand matches under their belt. Yes, he has ranted more than most at referees, maybe because he is a qualified ref himself, and yes, he has had more than his fair share of fall-outs with players and rival managers, but his achievements at Loftus Road have not gone unnoticed by the game, and in the twilight of his career Warnock appears to have gained some belated respect for his passionate and long-standing affair with football. What I found most interesting about the man - apart from the fact that he is a qualified chiropodist - is his love of cricket (he was at the Oval to see England win the Ashes) and golf (he cannot wait for the Ryder Cup). So, if you ever find yourself sitting next to Neil Warnock on a bus or train, don't be put off by the image. Talk to the man. You'd be surprised how entertaining and engaging he can be.