Huddersfield Town v Middlesbrough: Neil Warnock aims to swap tears for cheers on reunion day

What happened in his 1,603th outing in charge of a club did not deliver a trophy or lead to a pitch invasion at the end and mass outpouring of joy or relief, but it did produce a special moment that he will never forget involving the club he faces today for the first time since his exit in former team Middlesbrough.

In the game after breaking the record for the most games managed by an individual in senior football in England, Boro visited West Brom in November 2021.

On the morning of the match, news broke that it would be Warnock's last at the helm – with Chris Wilder to replace him. Nevertheless, he led Boro at The Hawthorns and was afforded an emotional goodbye as he walked over to visiting supporters, who expressed their gratitude with stirring chants of 'There's only one Neil Warnock.'

Teessiders will recall Warnock with fondness, more especially for preventing Boro from falling into the third tier for the first time in over three decades after being handed the reins late in 2019-20.

Expect Boro followers to show their respect ahead of kick-off today – but not during a game which has plenty of significance for both these sides at opposite ends of the Championship.

Speaking half in jest, the veteran Huddersfield Town manager said: "I'll get a better reaction if they beat us!"

On those scenes after his last game at the Boro helm, he continued: "To be fair, it did bring a tear to my eye, to be honest. You'd not think about that with me.

"It was really emotional. Jonny Howson was fabulous and he took me over there and it was just special.

"When I think back, I'd like to think I’ve contributed to their success today. I always believed if I'd not been sacked, we'd have got in the play-offs that year (season 21-22) as we were only four points behind and had a back four all injured – all the centre-halves were out.

"Although the new manager came in, I thought they should have got in the play-offs.

"This year, I am pleased Michael (Carrick) is doing well and as they are a good group of lads and the fans are fabulous.

"After Saturday, I will be rooting for them. But I will be saying the same after we've played Sheffield United!

"Nearly every club I have been at are involved in promotion or relegation. It's a funny Championship this year."

Warnock faces two players in the Boro line-up in Cameron Archer and Ryan Giles who he says that he wanted on loan for the 2021-22 season.

Tensions with the club hierarchy grew in that summer ahead of Warnock's exit in the autumn. The manner of his departure also left a bad taste in the mouth of the Sheffielder, but his relationship with chairman Steve Gibson – a proper football person like himself – has thankfully survived.

Warnock added: "He texts me. The worst thing for me wasn't getting the sack but going in the next day and not being allowed in as the director of football was having a press conference with the new manager. That lacked a little bit of class and Steve agreed with that.

"He knows it will not be straightforward and it will be a tough game.

"We got rid of all the high earners (at Boro) and the problem was we only had 13 players in (2021-22) pre-season and just couldn't sign players. It was like extracting teeth trying to get players to sign.

"We never got our targets and I look at the players they have got now such as Archer and Giles and we were desperate to try and get those two in when I was there.

"They have done well to get the type of players they have got and we have got to try and do our best to give them a game. I don't want us to lie down."

Gibson might just have memories of the last time that a promotion-chasing Boro visited a relegation-threatened side managed by Warnock in late season.

That came just over seven years ago when the Teessiders were rumbled in a 1-0 loss at Rotherham United in classic Warnock fashion. There are many similarities to Boro's visit to Town today.

Warnock said: "It can be done. I remember that game and we should have been four down in the first half and they missed sitters and the goalie made some great saves.

"But in the second half, we played really well and scored the goal and deservedly won it in the end. Let's hope it's the same result again."