Column: Warnock and Vardy - two of our own

He's back then.
Neil Warnock unveiled as new manager of Rotherham United. 
Pic : Dean AtkinsNeil Warnock unveiled as new manager of Rotherham United. 
Pic : Dean Atkins
Neil Warnock unveiled as new manager of Rotherham United. Pic : Dean Atkins

The fellow with the windmill arms, the strike ‘em dead grimace and occasional mild rebuke for a referee.

Neil Warnock at the age of 67 - and about a decade after he first said he was ready to retire - is back in South Yorkshire and already berating linesmen and tightening up leaky defences as he and assistant Kevin Blackwell plot Championship survival for Rotherham United.

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Blades’ fans have mostly fond memories of his time at Bramall Lane that took them to the Premier League and tragically, agonisingly out of it again.

Wednesday fans take rather a different view, but that’s to be expected.

I’ll have be having a tenner on him to do just that and help Rotherham stay up. If anyone can galvanise a team into battling for survival it’s Neil Warnock.

He’s one of our own, as they sing these days.

Welcome back.

Last week’s remarks on Jamie Vardy being a second class football citizen because he grew up in non-league football brought a typically forthright response from a Sheffield broadcasting legend.

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Bob Jackson - the inventor of the football phone-in when he came up with the idea for ‘Praise or Grumble’ thirty years ago - got in touch to have a bit of a grumble about our local teams in that regard.

“Never mind the top teams and Jamie Vardy, what about our local teams?” said Bob, 85 last week, in those still perfect-for-radio tones.

“Everyone in this area knew that he was banging goals in every week at Stocksbridge right under their noses and no-one had the gumption to give him a try.

“It’s amazing that the whole of football is looking for pace and finishing ability and he was showing it every week in Sheffield and nobody took any notice. Barmy.”

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Barmy indeed, but good to hear that polished mahogany voice again.

Leicester to crumble after Arsenal burst their Premier League bubble?

I don’t think so.

They have too many good players, too good a manager and too good a team structure and spirit to go quietly.

Interesting statistic too in that Leicester have not played a team above them in the league all season.

Will they keep that up until the end?

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They have had many doubters all season and even more now, but I reckon that in a campaign so inconsistent and unpredictable Leicester, barring serious injuries, have enough to do it.

Jamie Vardy for the Golden Boot anyone?