Former Leeds United boss Neil Warnock sends early Championship warning to Whites in bold declaration

Terriers boss Warnock believes the 2023/24 Championship is the ‘toughest it’s ever been’ in what could be interpreted as a warning to those sides coming down from the Premier League, hoping for an easy ride.

In recent seasons, teams dropping out of the top flight have had relative success in bouncing back at the first or second time of asking. In each of the last four campaigns, a newly-relegated side has gone on to clinch promotion straight back, with Fulham achieving the feat on two separate occasions.

However, veteran coach Warnock, who himself has three Championship promotions to his name, believes the 46-game campaign will be as difficult as it has ever been.

Leeds are joined in the second tier by Southampton, Leicester City, Sunderland, Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield Wednesday, Watford, Ipswich Town and Queens Park Rangers this year. In total, 19 of the 24 teams have competed in the Premier League at some stage over the past 25 years meaning clubs will be eager for a return to the promised land, at the expense of a big name such as the Whites.

"I didn't envisage carrying on again," Warnock said on Thursday after agreeing to stay as Huddersfield boss. “But it was just everything that happened at the end of last season, with the emotion and support and talking to [chief executive] Jake [Edwards], it just all seemed right."

"It will be the toughest Championship ever. But anything is possible,” Warnock went on to add.

Leeds are still to appoint a manager of their own but expect to do so in the coming week, meanwhile Nick Hammond has arrived in a football advisory capacity to help guide the Whites through a summer transfer window in which they will not have a designated director of football. The club hope to have one in place by October, ready for the January market and appear intent on taking their time with a carefully considered appointment.