Neil Warnock, 75, officially retires from football after being snubbed by former club he ‘would have helped’

NEIL WARNOCK has announced his retirement from football.

The 75-year-old stepped down as Aberdeen boss last month after just eight games at the helm.

Warnock was linked with the Plymouth job following the sacking of Ian Foster on Monday, with the club in a Championship relegation scrap.

Instead, Argyle have put director of football Neil Dewsnip and first-team coach Kevin Nancekivell in charge until the end of the season.

And Warnock has now decided to finally call it quits after 43 years as a gaffer.

He told talkSPORT: “They’ve already decided what they’re going to do, I would have helped them.

“But they’re going with Neil Dewsnip and Kevin Nancekivell.

“They’ve been there a while, they know the players – and they’ve got some good players.”

Pressed on if he would return to the dugout, Warnock said: “Oh I’m retired now.

“I would have [gone to Plymouth], but not now.

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“It’s all done and dusted now, and I’m looking forward to going round some of the Scottish islands.”

Warnock was once a tricky winger, playing for the likes of Rotherham, Hartlepool, Scunthorpe and Barnsley.

But he found a love for coaching in 1981 as player-manager at Gainsborough Trinity.

He then went on to step into the Burton Albion and Scarborough dugout, wining the Conference League title with the latter in 1987.

Warnock then became Notts County boss and got them back-to-back promotions from the Third Division to the top-flight.

He turned down an offer to manage Chelsea to stay loyal to the Magpies – but he was soon sacked after their relegation back to the second tier in 1993.

Spells at Torquay and Huddersfield followed before he achieved Third Division promotion with Plymouth.

He was controversially sacked despite his popularity with fans and back-to-back demotions with Oldham and Bury followed.

Warnock then landed his dream job at boyhood club Sheffield United and he helped them reach the Premier League.

However, the outspoken boss oversaw the Blades’ relegation in controversial circumstances after Carlos Tevez inspired West Ham’s survival at their expense.

Warnock then went to London clubs Crystal Palace and QPR, lifting the Championship in West London, before a year in charge of Leeds.

Guiding Rotherham to Championship safety in the 2016/17 campaign came next – but he decided not to stay at the club.

Warnock opted for a move to Cardiff and again fired a side to the Prem.

Although history repeated itself as they were relegated at their first attempt.

The legendary boss then became a relegation-saving specialist, coming in for brief spells at struggling Middlesbrough, Huddersfield and Aberdeen.

Overall, he has the record for most promotions with eight.

And no manager has took charge of more games in English football than Warnock on 1626 matches.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk