Neil Warnock is set to leave his role as Torquay United manager just two weeks after coming out of retirement to help the National League South side. The 77-year-old former Sheffield United boss returned to Plainmoor, where he managed in the early 1990s, but his second spell is expected to end imminently as the club closes in on a permanent appointment.
Warnock had been serving as an advisor to the Torquay board since 2024 and stepped into the unpaid managerial role after Paul Wotton was sacked at the end of February. Under his guidance, the team won two of four games, leaving them fourth in the table. However, the club has now accelerated its search for a new manager, with Warnock stating he has not influenced the decision.
“The interview process has taken place, they have got in mind the people or the person that they want. Now it is just a matter of the board dealing with it really,” Warnock said. “I know the candidates, but I said to the board that they have to do their due diligence. They need to appoint who they feel is the right one.”
In a statement on Saturday, the Torquay board acknowledged the urgency but stressed the importance of making the right choice. “While we all want matters concluded as quickly as possible, it is more important that the Board completes a thorough process and secures the best possible candidate for our football club than rushes a decision we may later regret,” the statement read.
Torquay, who were relegated from the Football League in 2014, are aiming to return to the National League. They have been in non-league ever since, having previously competed in the League Two play-offs in 2012.
