End of the road for Warnock as Hughes is lined up

Warnock, who led the London side to the Championship title last season, was sacked yesterday with former Fulham and Manchester City boss Mark Hughes strongly linked with the Loftus Road vacancy.

QPR are currently 17th in the Premier League table, having won just five of their 20 top-flight games this season, but Warnock was typically bullish as news of his departure broke.

“Obviously I’m very disappointed, but having achieved so much, I leave the club with a great sense of pride,” he said. “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.”

QPR released a statement on their website last night explaining their decision: “Neil Warnock joined the club in March 2010, overseeing 84 matches in charge, winning 33, drawing 27 and losing 24.

“Last season, he successfully guided the club back to the Premier League for the first time in 15 years. The board’s commitment to retaining our Premier League status ultimately led to this decision. QPR assistant manager Mick Jones and first-team coach Keith Curle have also left the club.”

QPR chairman Tony Fernandes, who took over the club in the summer, had mentioned on his Twitter account only last week how nobody’s job was ‘safe’ at the club.

He added last night: “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.”

QPR drew with MK Dons 1-1 in the FA Cup on Saturday.