Offered his services to Portsmouth - now ex-Leeds, Sheff Utd, Plymouth & Cardiff boss is bidding to inspire remarkable Huddersfield achievement

Instead Huddersfield last week welcomed the 74-year-old – now they’re daring to dream of relegation survival.

Warnock oversaw a 2-1 win over Birmingham on Saturday, marking his first match of a second managerial spell with the Terriers.

Having taken over a team 23rd in the Championship, four points from safety, and without a win in eight matches, it’s unquestionably a tough task.

Certainly, Warnock is under no illusions of the size of the challenge ahead, admitting he must be an ‘idiot’ to accept the job.

Before the Birmingham triumph, he told The Guardian: ‘I always thought if I came back in it’d be the end of February.

‘ I only want to work 10 weeks a year, if I’m honest, and it was always going to be a club I love like Huddersfield, QPR or Cardiff.

‘I’ve watched the last two games and it’s going to ask a lot to get in the playoffs!

‘They’re great fixtures. “You look at the fixtures and you’d have to be a bl**dy idiot to come here, but that’s what I am thankfully.’

Warnock has now served 1,604 professional games in management, being employed 18 times, with some, like Huddersfield, Palace and QPR, the same club twice.

Yet Pompey have always eluded the ex-Leeds boss, who was lined up to replace Alain Perrin in December 2005 – only for the Blues to instead turn to Harry Redknapp again.

Following last month's dismissal of Danny Cowley, Warnock told The News he would be open to taking over as caretaker boss at Fratton Park for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.

The club, however, did not consider his offer, preferring to hand John Mousinho his first managerial position.

At the time, Warnock said: ‘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.

‘I don’t know about the job there at the minute, you would have to see if they have already got things sorted out.

‘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.’

Huddersfield have hauled themselves up to 22nd following Saturday’s crucial win – with another 14 matches remaining for Warnock to preserve their Championship status.