Former Town Manager explains why he put so much faith in Andy Booth
- Neil Warnock explained bringing Andy Booth into his First Team
- Former Town Manager revealed a hilarious story about the striker
- Watch his full interview on #HTTV!
When a certain Andy Booth was introduced into the Huddersfield Town First Team by Neil Warnock, who thought he’d go on to be a Club Legend…
Well, it was Warnock’s belief in the young-Huddersfield born striker that helped him along the right path.
When speaking to #HTTV, the former Town Manager explained why he decided to take a gamble on Andy Booth.
“When I decided I was going to let Iwan (Roberts) go, because I needed more energy up there, there was this young gangly lad in the Reserves called Andy Booth.
“People were telling me what a good lad he was. I watched him a few times and I said to Mick Jones, ‘I don’t think we need to buy one (a striker), I think Boothy could do us a job’.
“I remember throwing him in a cup game and getting a bit of criticism because I left Iwan out to play Boothy, but he won everything.”
Warnock took a real shine to Boothy who went from strength-to-strength under his management and became an integral part in his side.
When looking back on his time at Town, Neil recalled a certain moment with Andy Booth that burst him into laughter.
“Have you ever met a nicer lad? If your boy grows up like Andy Booth you haven’t done bad as a father!
“I remember once on the touchline at the new Stadium, he got a right challenge about 30 yards to the left of the dugout, he went down and the physio rushed on.
“Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a woman running down the touchline… it was his mother! It was his mother, who was a cleaner, running down going ‘is Andy alright?’.
“I thought ‘what is going on here’. Andy got so much stick for that! It just showed what a great family they were.”
As supporters know, Boothy’s name is firmly written in club folklore, something that really brings a smile to Neil’s face.
“He’s now a legend, and I’m glad about it because he never changed. You could kick him or say things and he’d just have that nice little smile. He wouldn’t say boo to a goose.
“On a Saturday he’d never shirk anything. I used to say to Ronnie Jepson, ‘bloody hell Ronnie, he’s made your job easy, hasn’t he?’ and he used to say, ‘you mean gaffer, I’ve made his job easier, I’m doing his running’.
“He was the best header of a ball I’ve ever come across. It was great to see him develop and eventually get his move to Sheffield Wednesday; I was pleased for him.
“At the time it was quite a brave decision from me to put him in and let Iwan go; it justified the criticism when you saw him develop.”
Watch Neil Warnock’s full interview below on #HTTV!
