Iconic EFL manager announces retirement as boss of League One promotion hopefuls backs his side

As the League One play-offs get underway, fans of clubs involved and neutrals alike will be settling in for the action that will undoubtedly have them on the edge of their seats.

Champions Portsmouth and runners-up Derby County have secured automatic promotion to the Championship next season, leaving the remaining top six to battle it out for the final place. As we prepare for the action to unfold, here are the latest headlines around the division.

Warnock announces final retirement

Iconic manager Neil Warnock has announced he is finally retiring properly from managing football, following a number of previous decisions to return to the game. The 75-year-old last held the position of interim manager at Scottish side Aberdeen but has managed a number of clubs over his impressive career, from the Premier League to non-league.

Warnock holds the record for the most promotions achieved (8) and the most games in charge as a professional manager (1626).

Speaking on the Tippy Tappy Podcast, the veteran said: “That’s me finally done now, though. I have other things. The thing is, I’m enjoying... my son William plays golf, and I’ve really enjoyed watching him.

“It’s nice to have some time now. Sam will tell you — when you are a manager, you neglect your family. You are that into football that you sit down to watch Coronation Street and you’re not watching Coronation Street. You are thinking about what’s happening tomorrow, what’s happening Saturday. ‘I’m going to have to tell him tomorrow that I’m dropping him’.”

Bolton boss backs his players

Bolton Wanderers will take on Barnsley this evening in the first leg of their play-off semi-final clash. Whoever comes out victorious will take on either Peterborough or Oxford United in the final for the last place in the Championship.

Bolton manager Ian Evatt has reflected on his side’s season and has backed his team to perform where it matters in the play-offs, and has assured that despite his form against the top six (W2, D6, L2), it does not paint the full picture of their ability to show up.

“We have done some really good things this season and sometimes when you lose out on your primary target, you can lose sight of what has been achieved,” Evatt told The Bolton News. “We need to remind ourselves that we did score more goals in a calendar year than any Bolton team in history, we did win 7-0 here — the best scoreline the stadium has ever had, we have more points than last season, won more, lost less, the goal difference is better, individually my record is up there with any of the post-war Bolton managers.

“But really, it is now about performing on the big stage and the pressure stage and that is something we need to do at Oakwell on Friday before moving on to the next game. All week, our focus has been on this game, and I sense the players are in a good place. They have let it go pretty quickly and had the positive meetings early in the week, we have talked about the good things and let the bad ones go, for now.”