How Warnock became play-offs' record-breaking boss

Neil Warnock has a record of promotions through English football play-offs, including multiple Wembley final wins in the 1990s. He describes play-off finals as memorable experiences, including celebrations around Wembley and the drive home afterward. He explains that preparing players for high-stakes post-season matches requires addressing external concerns quickly. His approach involved giving players a short break before the final, then spending several days at a venue away from distractions, followed by returning to the training ground. He removed ticket-related pressures by handling family allocations and other ticket requests so players had nothing to think about in the final week. The final week followed a normal routine in the same hotel, with team meetings and a focus on staying settled.

"“If you could guarantee going up through the play-offs you'd take it every day,” Neil Warnock says - and he should know. The man whose eight promotions is the most in English football also has the most via the play-offs. Warnock guided Notts County (twice), Huddersfield Town and Plymouth Argyle to promotion in play-off finals at Wembley in the 1990s - a number that has never been matched by any other manager.”"

"“It's such a great day out at Wembley,” the 77-year-old tells BBC Sport as he looks back on his career in the high-stakes environment of the English Football League's (EFL) post-season. “The memories of driving home after that, you have open-top bus rides and on the town hall steps, you name it, I think I've been everywhere,” adds Warnock - who managed the last of his 1,629 games earlier this season after a three-game spell in caretaker charge at Torquay United - with a smile.”"

"“My preparation for the four wins was very similar,” he explains. “We were two weeks away from the final and we gave the lads a few days off, then we went to the Belfry Golf Club near Birmingham and we had three days there. Then we came back to the training ground, we got rid of all the family ticket allocations, all the people that come on board who want tickets when you get to Wembley, so the players haven't got anything to think about in the last week.”"

"“We did the last week as a normal week, and we stayed in the same hotel, the Hilton at London. We had the top floor, we could see the fans coming in, we had a team meeting at lunchtime and then the day before we managed to get into the grou”"

Read at www.bbc.com