Neil Warnock lined up for shock return to former club before end of season, they desperately need a ‘great escape’

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EFL Analysis can exclusively reveal that Neil Warnock is in talks to return to one of his former clubs very soon, in a bid to stave off relegation this season.

Aside from a brief spell as manager of Aberdeen, it’s now been almost two years since we last saw Neil Warnock managing in the EFL.

His time at Huddersfield ended in September 2023, just months after helping them remain in the Championship against the odds.

Over the years, Warnock has guided teams to promotion from the second tier, and performed miracles in keeping struggling teams up. Simply put, he’s a master of the Championship.

He’s one of the best Sheffield United managers, and also spent time as Middlesbrough manager, too, but now, we’re exclusively told he could be called up by another of his former clubs to help them survive near-certain relegation.

• READ MORE: ‘A bit of sense’ – Neil Warnock praised Chris Wilder decision, now Sheffield United need him to prove his worth vs Cardiff

Cardiff City plotting sensational return for Neil Warnock

In an EFL Analysis exclusive, we can reveal via our resident expert insider Graeme Bailey that Cardiff City are seriously considering bringing Warnock in before the end of the season, despite there only being four games of the campaign to go.

Cardiff are currently sitting in the relegation zone after defeat to Stoke City at the weekend, and executives are very worried about the future now.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
19	PortsmouthPortsmouth	42	12	10	20	50	66	-16	46
20	Hull CityHull City	42	11	12	19	41	50	-9	45
21	DerbyDerby	42	11	10	21	44	54	-10	43
22	CardiffCardiff	42	9	15	18	45	66	-21	42
23	LutonLuton	42	10	10	22	37	63	-26	40
24	PlymouthPlymouth	42	9	13	20	44	82	-38	40

Bailey told us: “Cardiff are considering making a change before the end of the season and former boss Neil Warnock is their preferred choice to come in.

“Omer Riza was given the permanent job in December having replaced Erol Bulut as boss and has battled hard to keep the club up since that point. However, the weekend’s loss to rivals Stoke City has left the Welsh giants in the bottom three and the club are now looking at bringing back former boss Warnock for their final handful of games to see if he can pull of a great escape.”

There is no exact timeframe on when such a decision could be made, with Bailey simply confirming “talks” have taken place.

But, he added: “That loss to Stoke has spooked them and if Warnock can save them… I think they will take the chance.”

• READ MORE: Neil Warnock highlights Leeds United star he ‘would have loved’ to manage, warns Daniel Farke not to restrict him

Can Cardiff afford to wait or must Warnock come in before Friday?

Ironically, Cardiff’s next game comes against Warnock’s beloved Sheffield United. There’s every chance then, that we could see Warnock in the dugout at Bramall Lane by Friday.

It would be an incredible turn of events, but with the position Cardiff are in right now, it might just be worth the gamble. As things stand, with the level of performances looking particularly dire, the Bluebirds don’t have much chance of getting out of the Championship relegation battle.

Warnock is a manager who laid foundations for Sheffield United’s success, and he’s also proven he knows how to get the best out of Cardiff in the past, helping them make it to the Premier League.

If he can replicate even an ounce of that success, it could be the difference between Cardiff keeping their heads above water for another year, or drowning entirely.