Football: sleeping giants; Sheff Utd v Leicester City Sky Sports 1 from noon Blades boss Warnock on pills to ease pressure of final Premiership push.Byline: David ANDERSON David Anderson may refer to:
NEIL NEIL Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited NEIL Network Engineering and Integration Lab WARNOCK is popping sleeping pills to deal with the pressure of leading Sheffield United back to the Premiership. The heat is on Warnock who knows this could be his last chance to fulfil his final managerial ambition of leading his beloved Blades into the top flight. United have fallen short in the last two seasons and Warnock is aware that the Bramall Lane Bramall Lane Stadium is the home of Sheffield United Football Club in Sheffield, England and is the oldest major stadium in the world still to be hosting professional football matches. board is running out of patience, having backed him to the hilt in the transfer market. The Blades boss is so desperate to reach the Premiership that he has started to take medication to help him sleep before matches. Warnock, who was told to change his diet two years ago when doctors discovered a problem with his arteries, claims he needs the pills to calm him down. "The butterflies are so bad the night before a game that the doctor has given me a special tablet to calm down," he said. "It gets me off to sleep by midnight. I think I get wound up because I have to work so hard at this club and not even Jose Mourinho or Alex Ferguson rant on as much as me. People say the way I manage will kill me." Warnock, whose side kick off the season at home to Leicester at lunchtime today, acknowledges the backing he has had from his board this summer. They have given him pounds 1.5million to spend on new players and he admits he will only have himself to blame if they do not win promotion. "I'd love to get Sheffield United into the Premiership and I think we have a fantastic chance this season," he said. "The board have been fantastic to me and backed me in the transfer market. This is the best squad I've ever worked with. If it goes wrong and I get the sack, then at least I know I've had a fair chance." Craig Short Craig Jonathan Short (born June 25, 1968 in Bridlington, England) is a former football player who played as a central-defender. Along with his brother Chris, he started his professional career at Pickering Town in the 1986-87 season. , one of Warnock's signings, is confident it will not come to that and is determined to help his old pal realise his Premiership dream. The veteran centre-half has teamed up with Warnock for one last hurrah after starting out under him with Scarborough in the late 80s. Short, 37, a free signing from Blackburn, said: "Neil got me to where I wanted to be so hopefully I can return the favour by helping him get into the Premiership. I played for him at the start of my career and now it seems I'll be ending it under him as well so I've gone full circle. "Neil is a manager I respect very highly. I was with him at Scarborough and he secured his place in the history of that club by taking them into the league. "Then I went with him to Notts County and he did the same thing there by getting them into the top division against all the odds. "He has told me what he wants from me and hopefully I'll be able to deliver it for him." Keith Gillespie Keith Robert Gillespie (born 18 February 1975 in Larne, County Antrim) is a Northern Irish professional footballer, who plays in midfield. He currently plays for Sheffield United of the English Football League Championship. could be in the Blades team against his former club today after securing a 12-month appearance-related contract at Bramall Lane. The 30-year-old Northern Ireland Northern Ireland: see Ireland, Northern. Northern Ireland Part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland occupying the northeastern portion of the island of Ireland. Area: 5,461 sq mi (14,144 sq km). Population (2001): 1,685,267. winger joins ex-Foxes team-mate Lilian Nalis at United after both were released by Leicester manager Craig Levein. Warnock said of the former Manchester United and Newcastle star: "He's not quite match-fit but we haven't got cover in that situation and I would have been concerned if anything happened to Paul Ifill." LIFE AND TIMES May 1991: Takes Notts County into top flight with play-off win over Brighton. June 1991: Turns down chance to become Chelsea mnanager. May 1992: County go back down. Mar 2002: Blades boss Warnock feuds with West Brom's Gary Megson at 'Battle of Bramall Lane'. Game abandoned after United are reduced to six men by three dismissals and injuries. Aug 2002: United fined pounds 5,000 by FA for poor disciplinary record. May 2003: United beaten 3-0 by Wolves in Division One play-off final. Aug 2003: Warnock given four-match touchline Touchline The highest bid and lowest ask at market for a particular security during a given time in the trading day. Notes: The touchline just specifies the best bid or ask available for a particular stock. See also: Ask, Ask Size, Best Ask, Bid, Bid-Ask Spread, Spread ban and fined pounds 300 by FA for comments to referees. May 2004: United finish two places away from play-off place. May 2005: Frustration again after finishing two places off play-off place. CAPTION(S): Pill-grimage to the prem: Neil Warnock hopes his tablets calm him down the night before games; ACT YOUR RAGE: Warnock loves to rant and scream |
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