Surprise Huddersfield decision taken on huge Portsmouth admirer and former Sheffield United and Cardiff boss Neil Warnock

The 74-year-old will depart the Terriers after their game against Stoke on Wednesday night as the John Smith’s Stadium outfit are ‘ready to make a longer-term managerial appointment’.

Warnock came out of retirement in February to help steer Huddersfield away from the real threat of relegation and League One football last season.

His appointment was initially until the end of the 2022-23 campaign but was offered a new one-year deal in the summer.

The club are currently 17th in the table following three league defeats in their opening six games. However, Huddersfield have won their past two games under Warnock – against Rotherham and West Brom respectively.

Speaking to the media on Monday, the much-travelled former Sheffield United and Cardiff boss said he is not retiring, while his departure is not down to health reasons.

Warnock has been linked with a move to Pompey numerous times during his 40-plus-year managerial career. Back in January -and before John Mousinho was appointed – he told The News that he was interested in replacing Danny Cowley in the Fratton Park hot seat on a short-term basis.

He saw it as the ideal opportunity to take charge of club he had held in high esteem for many years.

Warnock said: ‘It’s a fabulous club. When I was a visiting manager, I used to get up and shout instructions and the fans behind drowned me out. I couldn’t shout a flipping thing!

‘There are a couple of clubs I wish I had the chance to manage and that was one of them. I’ve always got on well with the fans there.

‘Sometimes I think a short-term appointment at clubs enables them to just take their time and get the right man in place.

‘That’s the only thing for me. I couldn’t do it for 2-3 years anyhow, but it depends if they are in a rush and they want to bring somebody in straight away.

‘You never know, do you, but I’ve not had any contact with anybody.

‘I’ve had offers (from other clubs) over the last few months, but didn’t want to do anything over Christmas. I thought I would see what crops up and if there’s anything interesting. Pompey’s a lovely club, though.’

Warnock revealed he almost got the Blues job on several occasions, coming closest in December 2005.

Following Alain Perrin’s dismissal, Milan Mandaric was seeking somebody to keep relegation-threatened Pompey in the Premier League.

However, the move fell through, with Mandaric instead turning to Harry Redknapp.

He added: ‘Well I got the job. I was ill actually and I could tell Peter Storrie never really wanted me.

‘I got on really well with Milan Mandaric, he wanted me and I wanted to come, but Peter would always put obstacles in the way. I wasn’t very well at that time, so also couldn't come down to meet them.

‘In the end Peter, wanted to work with Harry and put obstacles in my way.

‘Milan wanted me to come and knew what I thought about the club. I nearly managed Pompey a couple of times.’