Neil Warnock promised QPR one specific thing - he delivered something much more positive | OneFootball

Neil Warnock claimed he would bring stability to QPR when he arrived in 2010, but he achieved far more than that.

During his illustrious career spanning almost 44 years, Neil Warnock established a reputation as one of the most popular managers in English football.

Warnock took his first steps into management with non-league side Gainsborough Trinity in 1980, and he went on to manage the likes of Notts County, Huddersfield Town, Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers, Leeds United, Cardiff City and Middlesbrough among many others.

The 76-year-old was last seen in the dugout during his eight-game interim spell in charge of Scottish Premiership outfit Aberdeen last season, and it seems that he has now finally called time on his managerial career after overseeing more than 1,600 games, but he has not stepped away from the game completely as he is currently a football advisor at National League South side Torquay United.

Warnock achieved a record eight promotions as a manager, and such was the success he enjoyed during his career, it is difficult to say which club he is most synonymous with.

Given that he spent over seven years at Bramall Lane, some may argue that he is best known for his work at Sheffield United, but to a younger generation of football fans, he will perhaps be remembered most for his spell at QPR.

Neil Warnock outlined modest ambition following QPR arrival

Warnock was named as the new QPR manager in March 2010, leaving his role at fellow Championship side Crystal Palace to take over at Loftus Road.

He had been in charge at Selhurst Park since October 2007, and he led the Eagles to the play-off final in his first year in charge, but the club went into administration in January 2010 after falling into financial difficulties, resulting in a 10-point deduction.

Warnock stressed that he remained fully committed to Palace after they entered administration, but he decided to depart after the R's made an approach for his services, despite the fact his new club were also involved in a relegation battle.

QPR sat 20th in the table at the time of Warnock's arrival, and they were just three points clear of the drop zone after a turbulent season that had seen four different managers take charge of the team, but he vowed to bring some much-needed stability to the club.

"This is the perfect time to come in, with the new chairman and structure in place," Warnock said, quoted by the BBC.

"Together we can give the club the stability it needs.

"As a manager, Loftus Road is always a place I love because of the fantastic atmosphere there."

It is fair to say that Warnock made an immediate impact as he won his first two games in charge against West Bromwich Albion and Plymouth, and the Hoops eventually finished 13th in the table, 10 points clear of the bottom three.

After keeping the R's in the Championship, Warnock could claim that he had already delivered on his objective of restoring some order to the club, but he would go on to achieve far more than he initially promised.

Neil Warnock far exceeded his own QPR expectations

Warnock oversaw a huge rebuild at QPR in the summer of 2010, and he brought in the likes of Paddy Kenny, Bradley Orr, Clint Hill, Shaun Derry and Jamie Mackie, who would all play a crucial role in the upcoming season, as well as completing the permanent signing of Adel Taarabt from Tottenham Hotspur.

It quickly became clear that the R's new-look side would be a force in the Championship under Warnock as they won their opening three games of the 2010-11 season against Barnsley, Sheffield United and Scunthorpe United by an aggregate scoreline of 9-0.

In fact, the Hoops went unbeaten in their first 19 league games of the campaign, winning 11 and drawing eight, and while back-to-back defeats against Watford and Leeds United in December threatened to derail their season, they soon got back on track.

QPR eventually secured the Championship title with a 2-0 win at Watford in the penultimate game of the season, sealing promotion back to the Premier League for the first time in 15 years, and there is no doubt that it was a deserved achievement.

Remarkably, the R's spent the entire season in the automatic promotion places, only dropping off top spot on two occasions, and while their final tally of 88 points is far from the highest in second tier history, Warnock's side will always be fondly remembered.

The Hoops kept an impressive total of 25 clean sheets during their title-winning campaign, which remained a record until it was beaten by Burnley earlier this season, but inspired by the creative talent of Taarabt, who scored 19 goals and provided 21 assists in 44 games, they were also an incredibly entertaining team to watch.

QPR made a decent start to life back in the top flight under Warnock the following season, but he was sacked in January 2012 after a run of eight games without a win left the club sitting 17th in the table, and many felt that the decision was harsh given that his side were not in the relegation zone.

However, Warnock's dismissal did not mark the end of his association with the R's, and he returned to Loftus Road as an advisor in October 2015 before going on to have a brief four-game spell as caretaker manager following the departure of Chris Ramsey.

Warnock's original aim may only have been to bring stability to QPR, but he ended up providing supporters with lifelong memories, as well as producing one of the most iconic teams in Championship history.