Nathan Jones was just eight years old when Neil Warnock got his first job as a football manager, but a 39-year legacy is something the Luton boss would like to emulate – let alone the Middlesbrough manager’s record eight EFL promotions.
Having just marked his 200th game in charge of the Hatters with his 100th win, the Welshman has an enviable 50 per cent win percentage and one promotion under his belt, from League Two in his first spell in charge of Town.
Warnock earned his record-breaking eighth promotion just a year and half ago when he guided Cardiff City to the Premier League. And now the 72-year-old is aiming to get Middlesbrough back in the big time.
Ahead of of his first ever managerial tussle with the Teesiders’ boss, this evening, Jones said: “It’ll be good because he gets great respect from me, for the great career he’s had. I only hope I can manage anywhere near the level of games that he’s had.
“I would love to get the promotions that he has, so it’s only respect from me to him.
“Neil’s a perennial Championship promotion chaser. A manager who knows how to get results, a manger who’s had a fantastic career, a manager who’s stood the test of time at varied clubs and created (good) environments.
“You know you’re in for a real tough game when you come up against a Neil Warnock side. We know that and we have to be prepared for that.”
Warnock – who has never lost to Luton – joined Boro in June and when football returned after the Coronavirus lockdown, the north-east side were just above the relegation zone then occupied by Luton, by virtue of goal difference.
Like Jones, who’d re-joined the Hatters before the restart, Warnock steered his side to safety and now both sides are sitting in more comfortable positions, with Town just two positions and one point behind Boro in 12th.
“They’ve tuned to someone who’s used to being at the right end of tables,” said Jones, adding: “It looks like a very good decision and we know what we’ll come up against when we come up against a Neil Warnock side.
“It’s tough game. It’s always a tough game when you go away to the north-east and even more so now.
“They’ve had a great start, they’re a front-footed side and we know we’ll need to be at our best to get something against a top side.”
