Neil Warnock Views on people associated with Vale

[Essex Vale]

I am reading Neil Warnock's biography written in 2008, I think he has updated it since then. Warnock is a bit of a marmite character but no one can deny his knowledge of football and his achievements as a manager. He makes some interesting observations that include a number of Vale links.

 

His biggest moan about us was perfectly justified. In 1998/99 the FL did away with goal difference to decide placings when teams had the same points. Bury had a better goal difference than us but we scored more goals. So for that one season the rules said we would finish higher, and hence Bury were relegated from the Championship and we survived. Had the positions been reversed we would have been incandescent with rage as well.

 

He speaks in pretty positive terms about Ronnie Jepson and Marcus Bent. He clearly rates Adrian Littlejohn highly (as we who saw him play for us do also). His most interesting comments are about Michael Brown and Bruno Ribeiro. He absolutely raves about Brownie and speaks in the most glowing term about him as a man, a player, and a character in the dressing room. It is a glowing testament for Brownie. Of all the players that Warnock has managed he rates Brownie as his favourite.

 

As for Bruno, alas Warnock is pretty scathing about him. If what Warnock describes as the circumstances around Bruno refusing to go on a tour to the Caribbean when at Sheffield United are true then it did Bruno no credit. Of course, there are two sides to every story.

 

It was all a long time ago, but interesting to read his observations. This is a book that any football fan will enjoy reading even if you don't agree with him

[robf]

His biggest moan about us was perfectly justified. In 1998/99 the FL did away with goal difference to decide placings when teams had the same points. Bury had a better goal difference than us but we scored more goals. So for that one season the rules said we would finish higher, and hence Bury were relegated from the Championship and we survived. Had the positions been reversed we would have been incandescent with rage as well.

 

Bury fans still remember. It's about to feature in the latest "Opposing Views" feature ahead of Saturday's game

 

Thanks for the posting, it was interesting stuff...

[mr.hobblesworth]

My opinion of Neil Warnock can be summed up by the anagram of his name that begins with 'Colin'.

[bookworm]

bloodnock definitely knows his football so his book might just finish up on my shelf.

[cheshirevaliant]

Interesting that, presumably, Brown had a say in Bruno's appointment (even just as a character reference), yet they are on opposite sides of the managers' views on them. I suspect there may be more to the Ribeiro story than meets the eye.

[TheSage]

I read the book ages ago. It is an interesting read.

Like him or loathe him, he's very passionate about his players and his teams and he's had a very good career. You can't take that away from him. Even last season he performed miracles in stabilising Rotherham. His record in the football league is remarkably good.

[For Us All]

bloodnock definitely knows his football so his book might just finish up on my shelf.

 

'Made In Sheffield' is a brilliant read.Steve Cherry,Bernie Slaven and local referee Phil Dowd also get a mention.Two other players were also excused from the Caribbean tour,so Bruno must have had his reasons for being unavailable.

He ended up being fined two weeks wages (£12,000) by Warnock though,which seems very harsh.Would love to hear Bruno's side of the story?

[Santa]

If we'd been staring relegation in the face when I dare say we would have made more of a fight of it on the final day of the season against Bury rather than losing a dull match 1-0.

 

As we sang at the time, you only need ten more.

[Santa]

Warnock has always had a good moan whenever he's been on the receiving end of a defeat from Vale. I think we beat them 1-0 in the return game the same season, just before Christmas, with a Simon Barker penalty, and he made himself look daft after the game talking to the media.

 

A few years before that he accused John Jeffers of diving to get their right back sent off for two yellows. This was in the FA Cup game best remembered for Allen Tankard's late winner.

[LancyTony]

Can't stand the man. I won't be putting money in his pocket through buying his book.