Huddersfield Town vs. Stoke City: Terriers bid farewell to Neil Warnock but not Goodbye – and a sad night for assistant Ronnie Jepson
NEIL WARNOCK and his Huddersfield Town players will say their goodbyes after the game on Wednesday night – but not necessarily their last.
Warnock’s final game as manager of the Terriers will be against Stoke City before the baton is passed on to someone else, with Town hoping to name his replacement by the end of the week.The fact that Warnock has no plans to retire as a manager demonstrates how much he has loved his second stay at Huddersfield. Quite the contrary, in fact.
And if any Town players require his assistance in the future, they know where to find him.
“I am sure I will be in touch with one or two of them even when I am not involved,” he continued, “because I have said that my phone is always available for them to call.”They are a nice group that have paid attention to what I have stated. They may not have agreed on everything, but they knew it was for the best. I believe they appreciated the ride.
“When I first arrived here last year, I told them, ‘Enjoy your time here, lads.’ I’m not suggesting we’re going back in time with the old-fashioned managers, but I believe the humour has faded from the game. I believe some of the coaches are very competitive.”
Tonight’s game will also be memorable for Ronnie Jepson, Warnock’s faithful assistant and another Town legend.
The fact that Jepson is from Stoke – and a lifelong Potters fan while playing for rivals Port Vale – adds poignancy to the contest.
“Me and Ronnie want to finish on a high,” Warnock added.
“Ronnie is a Huddersfield legend, just like me.” He does all of the work. He recovers my phone when I misplace it, my keys when I drop them, and uses my shoehorn to retrieve my shoes. I couldn’t accomplish anything without Ron, who has been simply fantastic.
“It’s great to see him getting the acclaim he deserves from the fans.”
