Ex-Leeds United manager set to depart Championship rivals on Wednesday in shock development

Huddersfield Town have announced that former Leeds United manager Neil Warnock will leave his position with the Terriers after Wednesday evening’s game against Stoke City.

Leeds’ Championship rivals had endured a tough start to the league campaign as they lost three of their opening four games while drawing the other fixture. However, they have turned a corner this month with back-to-back wins against West Brom and Rotherham United.

The Terriers turned to Warnock late last season with the veteran manager guiding the club to a great escape which was sealed on the penultimate game of the campaign against Sheffield United. He was due to leave the club in May but agreed to extend his stay by another season to allow the West Yorkshire outfit more time to seek a long-term appointment.

Explaining their decision to part ways with Warnock, Huddersfield chief executive Jake Edwards explained the club are now in a position to make that longer-term decision.

He said: “I must start this statement by, on behalf of everyone at the football club, expressing my huge gratitude to Neil and his assistant, Ronnie Jepson, for the incredible job they have done at the club over the last six months.

“Keeping this club in the Championship, given the position the team was in when they arrived in February, was nothing short of amazing, and built upon their already lasting legacies at this club as a management team and, in Ronnie’s case, as a player too. They are both, undeniably, Huddersfield Town legends, and have cemented their positions in this club’s history.

“Our owner, Kevin Nagle, and I were so grateful when Neil and Ronnie agreed to stay at the club for the new season. All parties were clear that this was not a long-term appointment, but that it gave us important stability on the football side whilst the change of ownership was completed, and the new regime established itself at the club.

“At this point, we now feel we are ready to make a longer-term managerial appointment. I’ve had detailed discussions with Neil and, alongside Ronnie, Carl Serrant and Ian Bennett, he’s agreed to step aside to allow us to do this.

“Again, I cannot thank Neil and Ronnie enough for everything they have done for this club. I know they want to leave on a high with a result against Stoke City in midweek, and I’m sure they will get the send-off they deserve from the players and supporters.”

The 74-year-old was in charge at Leeds for just over 13 months between February 2012 and April 2013, winning 23 of his 63 matches in charge but losing 25.

He was the last Whites’ boss to win at Millwall in the league until Daniel Farke oversaw a fine 3-0 triumph on Sunday afternoon as Leeds picked up their second victory of the campaign. Leeds host Huddersfield at Elland Road on October 28 with the club expected to confirm their next manager in the coming days.

Of his decision to leave the club, Warnock said: “We’ve actually done what we set out to do really. As Jake said, Kevin has a three-year plan to reach the Premier League. When Dean [Hoyle] brought me back he pleaded for days and days and changed my mind and I said I’d come back and help while I was wanted.

“Once they told me they wanted to bring someone in...yes, I thought it would be about Christmas time, but once they told me that I think they had to move on quickly. If you’re not wanted you want to go straight away. I don’t mean that how it maybe sounds - we always said we’d be straight with each other and that’s what we’ve done, and Ronnie and I wish them all the best. I’ve told the lads there’s no reason not to push towards the play-offs now.

“My health is good, I’ve never felt better! If anything I’ve got the buzz again. I’m sure when February comes round people will be asking me again. I’ve always said to Kevin, it’s his club and that I’d go whenever he wants me to go. I think it was the right thing that I came back, I don’t think it would have helped anyone to come in in pre-season, but we’ve made a lot of progress. I can’t tell you who the new manager is because they’ve not told me, so I assume it’s someone I don’t like!”