Cardiff boss Neil Warnock praises secret weapon grandson after promotion
Monday 7 May 2018 15:40, UK
Cardiff's Neil Warnock says the reason his side were able to gain promotion to the Premier League was due to his grandson.
Warnock achieved a record eighth career promotion thanks to a 0-0 draw against Reading
Combined with Fulham's 3-1 loss to Birmingham, the result meant at the final whistle the promotion party could begin.
While the players managed to grind out a performance, Warnock admitted they had something special hidden up their sleeves.
He said: "The players have been good but at the end we had to bring a secret weapon in and that was my grandson Charlie.
"We had to bring him in as he has been the mascot five times now. We won the first three then we went up to Hull after Derby Country where we needed everything.
"So the lads [players] said 'what about bringing in Charlie, gaffer?' So we got Charlie across to Hull, we won that game and then he came on Saturday and we managed to get over the line with a draw. He's five games undefeated.
"We will have to book him next year sparsely!"
Cardiff's previous stay in the top flight came in the 2013/14 season but they were relegated back into the Championship at the end of the year.
Warnock is no stranger to the Premier League having had previous spells with Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield United but this time he feels he has nothing to lose.
"Why not? I have nothing to be afraid of," Warnock added. "It's 11 v 11, we know we are going to have a tricky period where you lose or you don't win for eight to nine games and lose three to four on the trot.
"But the fans know we are in credit now. They have got to stick with us now next year and enjoy it because some of those fans thought they would never get there again, so take it on board."
