Championship

FANS were left in stitches after Neil Warnock replied with a cheeky one-liner when asked about Huddersfield’s amazing form.The veteran manager, 74, took charge of the struggling Terriers in February.
Neil Warnock lifted Huddersfield out of the relegation zone with victory over WatfordCredit: Getty
And he has lifted them out of the Championship relegation zone following a 3-2 win at Watford.
It is the third win in a row for Huddersfield, and a member of the club’s media team asked Warnock how the team have managed to turn things around.
He replied: “It’s having a good manager isn’t it?”
Fans loved the quip, which is typical of Warnock’s care-free attitude.
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One supporter reacted saying: “The look at the camera there. Got to like this fella.”
Another added: “Neil is brilliant😂👏”
A third said: “What a bloke! We love him too! ❤️💙”
Another remarked: “The guy’s a legend. Knows his football. Total respect to him.”
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In recent years Warnock has shown his softer, humorous side – especially since joining Twitter.
And he was back on social media with a brilliant gag on Valentine’s Day to leave his followers in stitches.
Warnock posted a photo of himself posing in front of a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton.
He captioned the post: “From one dinosaur to another 🤣 Not extinct yet 😉🤞” More

BLACKPOOL manager Mick McCarthy has left the club by mutual consent after less than three months in charge. The club lost 3-1 to fellow strugglers Cardiff yesterday, which leaves the Tangerines on the verge of relegation to League One.
Mick McCarthy has left BlackpoolCredit: Getty
His assistant Terry Connor has also resigned.
Blackpool are in the midst of a horror run of form, failing to win seven of their last eight games.
They find themselves seven points away from safety in 23rd place in the Championship table.
In a statement, McCarthy said: “After recent performances and results, I have thought long and hard and feel this is the best decision for everyone concerned with the football club.
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“I’ve loved my time here and thank everyone for their support. I wish everyone well going forward.”
Blackpool confirmed that former player and development lead coach Stephen Dobbie will take charge until the end of the campaign.
McCarthy was only appointed boss in January but failed to turn the team around after taking over from Michael Appleton.
He won just two of his 14 games at the helm, losing nine.
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The ex-Republic of Ireland, Wolves and Sunderland boss was recently quizzed by a journalist who questioned “surely this [run of defeats] can’t go on?”
McCarthy bluntly replied “it can” as fans stressed it didn’t fill them with hope.
Blackpool under Dobbie have six games to save their season and face a trip to promotion-chasing Luton next. More

BURNLEY and Vincent Kompany are back in the big time after blowing the Championship away.The Clarets sealed an immediate return to the Premier League thanks to Connor Roberts’ 66th-minute winner.
Burnley boss Vincent Kompany and Jack Cork enjoy the promotion feelingCredit: Getty
Matchwinner Connor Roberts and Nathan Tella rejoice on a huge nightCredit: PA
Josh Brownhill’s shot is deflected in by Ashley Barnes for Burnley’s openerCredit: Getty
Ashley Barnes got the party started before Chuba Akpom’s penalty put the champagne on ice.
But Kompany was jumping for joy opposite old Mancunian rival Michael Carrick when Roberts latched on to Nathan Tella’s low cross to clinch promotion.
The ex-Manchester City colossus has been a revelation since taking over from Sean Dyche.
It was Grim Friday 12 months ago when manager Dyche was sacked as Burnley stared relegation from the top flight in the face.
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And it looked like it could take years before they dined at the top table again once Nick Pope, Ben Mee, James Tarkowski, Dwight McNeil and Maxwel Cornet were flogged in the fire sale.
Yet fast forward exactly one year and it’s the best Easter weekend any Clarets fan could wish for.
Dyche had a pub named after him in Burnley – and it might not be long before Kompany is handed his own boozer.
Forget about a transition year, they have bossed the second tier from the start – last losing way back in November.
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Evolving from Dyche-ball was Kompany’s biggest task and the ex-Etihad skipper, alongside his snarling sidekick Craig Bellamy, has played a blinder.
The league’s top scorers and tightest defence, this Burnley are a joy to watch.
They have played with a style and swagger rarely – if ever – seen at Turf Moor, with another £120million coming into the coffers now to splash this summer.
And Kompany has managed something no other Championship boss has, beating Carrick’s Boro at home.
They had to win to get the job done on the night following Luton’s lunchtime draw at Millwall, and it was delirium in the away end after just 12 minutes.
Moroccan winger Anass Zaroury got the move rolling down the left before it was worked to Josh Brownhill 20 yards out.
The midfielder’s daisycutter was heading to the bottom left corner but Barnes was not taking any chances, deflecting beyond Zack Steffen.
The veteran’s fifth of the season and 50th league strike for the Lancastrians, replays showed he was marginally offside – but worrying about VAR can wait a few months yet.
And it really should have been 2-0 soon after when top scorer Tella scampered in behind Darragh Lenihan, only to fire wide when through on goal.
Boro’s own chances of automatic promotion looked remote going into this given they were nine points behind Sheffield United in second.
Carrick has done his own incredible job, catapulting the Teessiders from the bottom three into the play-off mix.
Connor Roberts celebrates putting Championship leaders Burnley back in frontCredit: Rex
They failed to register a shot on target in the first half but were awarded a penalty inside a minute of the restart when Josh Cullen clipped Cameron Archer.
Akpom took his season’s tally to 26 in expert fashion and the Riverside was bouncing.
As Carrick whirled his arms around to gee the crowd up, Kompany called for calm.
They rode out the immediate storm and came back with a second win, bagging the priceless second.
Tella created it down the right, darting to the byline before pulling back to the unmarked Roberts to bury from close range.
There was pandemonium in the corner again but it soon turned ugly when the celebrating Johann Berg Gudmondsson was hit on the head by a missile hurled from the home end while handing an object thrown onto the pitch to the linesman.
Boro pushed for a late leveller yet, despite being so electric under Carrick, are hitting a bad patch at just the wrong time.
Two straight defeats have blown their chances of gatecrashing the top two, and they need to pick themselves up quickly to ensure a top-six finish.
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They sit seven points above Norwich in seventh with six games to play, starting at Bristol City on Monday.
But tonight was all about Burnley. And if Prem fans haven’t been watching, get ready for a Burnley like no other. More

BURNLEY star Johann Gudmundsson was struck on the head by a missile from a fan during their 2-1 Championship win over Middlesbrough.The 32-year-old Icelandic international was celebrating the visitor’s second goal of the game at The Riverside when he was hit by an object thrown from the crowd.
Johan Gudmundsson was struck by an object while celebrating Burnley’s goalCredit: Getty
Gudmundsson hit the floor and held his head in pain as replays showed the shocking incident moments after Connor Roberts’ decisive strike.
He eventually made it back to his feet and carried on.
But in the 79th minute he was replaced by Jack Cork – although it was unclear whether injuries sustained from the missile thrown led to the substitution.
Burnley knew a win would secure them promotion back to the Premier League with seven games to spare.
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And they managed to hold on to seal their return and spark huge celebrations.
And they got off to the best possible start when Ashley Barnes gave them the lead in the 12th minute.
But fourth-place Boro were not making things easy for the league leaders and they found a way back into the game at the start of the second half.
Josh Cullen went down under minimal contact from Cameron Archer and the referee pointed to the spot.
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Chuba Akpom stepped up to rifle the spot kick into the bottom corner as bedlam ensued at The Riverside.
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But Burnley, who are on course to collect more than 100 points this season, were not done yet.
Nathan Tella, on loan from Premier League side Southampton, burst into the box and cut the ball back for Roberts to fire home.
And Vincent Kompany’s men held on to clinch promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking. More

A VICIOUS brawl has broken out between Swansea and Coventry fans with a steward caught in the face as he tried to break it up.An incredible 2,000 travelling supporters made the journey to Wales for the Championship clash.
The Coventry fan (right) fought the Swansea supporter (left)Credit: Alamy
A steward was caught up in the scrapCredit: Alamy
The brawl occurred during the matchCredit: Alamy
However, the day was marred by crowd trouble.
An incident occurred at the Swansea.com Stadium as tempers flared near the away end.
Two yobs attacked each other during the match.
Stewards jumped in an attempt to separate the pair and one was hit in the face.
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The security official saw his hat knocked off and he was pictured holding his nose in pain.
The game between the two Championship sides ended 0-0.
Swansea look set to stay in the division next season, sitting 15th in the league table.
Meanwhile, Coventry have aims of making the play-offs and they are just three points behind sixth place.
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This is not the first time fans of the Swans have been involved in trouble in recent weeks.
The club had to issue a statement slamming the behaviour of a “minority of supporters” after “several incidents of disruption and anti-social behaviour” when they met rivals Cardiff last weekend. More

PRESTON star Liam Lindsay was left in a bloodied state after a sickening blow to the head. Blood could be seen pouring from the back of Lindsay’s head following the incident.
Liam Lindsay was on the end of a sickening head blowCredit: Rex
Which left blood pouring from his headCredit: Rex
Medics rushed on to treat himCredit: Rex
Lindsay was bandaged up following the collisionCredit: Rex
It came after a collision with QPR ace Lyndon Dykes.
Medics rushed onto the pitch to treat the defender for his wound, with Lindsay pictured grimacing in pain.
Lindsay, 27, was then bandaged up and allowed to carry on.
One fan was left baffled at how a red card was not shown.
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Taking to Twitter, they said: “How is that not a red he’s bust his head open.”
Another fan reported hearing booing from QPR fans, describing Dykes as a “lunatic” for his part in the collision.
They commented: “QPR fans booing Liam Lindsay who is down on the floor with a gash on his head from Lyndon Dykes throwing his elbows about like a lunatic 😂.”
Scottish duo Lindsay and Dykes have both played big parts in their teams respective league campaigns.
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Preston are currently chasing a spot in the Championship play-offs.
Meanwhile, QPR are looking to secure their status in the division for next season by moving themselves away from the relegation zone. More