• Premier League

Neil Warnock sacked by QPR

ESPN staff
January 8, 2012
Neil Warnock has paid the price for a string of poor results © PA Photos
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Queens Park Rangers have sacked manager Neil Warnock after a run of results that saw them drop to within a point of the relegation zone.

The club have won just one game in 12 - a 3-2 win at Stoke on November 19 - and have sunk to 17th in the Premier League table after disappointing results against the likes of Norwich, Sunderland and Swansea. Only Wigan Athletic have scored fewer goals in England's top flight.

Warnock's men narrowly avoided being knocked out of the FA Cup against lowly MK Dons on Saturday, but salvaged a replay through an injury-time goal from Heidar Helguson. The winners of the tie will host Chelsea in the fourth round.

QPR chairman, Tony Fernandes, said on the club's official website: "This decision has been made in the best interests of the club and I can assure everyone that this is not a decision that was made lightly. Sadly, our recent run of poor form has seen us slip alarmingly down the table and the board felt it was the right time to make a change.

"Neil has acted with honesty, professionalism and integrity throughout his time at the club, and I would personally like to thank him for his significant contribution to QPR over the last 22 months. I genuinely wish him all the very best for the future and he will always be welcome back at Loftus Road."

Warnock also offered comment on his exit from the club, saying: "Obviously I'm very disappointed, but having achieved so much, I leave the club with a great sense of pride. I have enjoyed my time here more than anywhere else and the QPR fans have been brilliant with me - they deserve success.

"My biggest regret is that the takeover didn't happen earlier, because that would have given me the opportunity to bring in the targets I'd pinpointed all last summer and probably given us a better chance to succeed in the Premier League.

"The board at QPR are hugely ambitious and I wish them every success for the future. I've been involved in the game a long time and I will be spending the immediate future with my family and friends before deciding my next career move."

Mark Hughes and Gianfranco Zola have already been linked with the vacant role at QPR, and the club confirmed they will now begin the search for a new boss without further comment.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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