Neil Warnock: What I've Learnt This Week

1. Dazzling on the dancefloor could have put my career plans out of step

I'll be tuning in with greater interest than usual to Strictly Come Dancing tomorrow night as, believe it or not, I could have been on it. It's well known that I used to show a bit of fancy footwork at such dancing palaces as the Victoria and the Showground - that's Victoria Park, Hartlepool United, and the Old Showground, Scunthorpe United, in case you were wondering. I had discussions with the programme-makers but I would have had to commit myself until mid-December, which would have ruled out my prospects of getting back into management before my Christmas deadline.

So I will not be joining Gabby and Kenny Logan on the show. But there's always next year. Sharon, Amy and William absolutely love it so if things do not work out in football...

2. Going for a Burton earns rich rewards

On Monday night I went back to my old club, Burton Albion, to see another of my old clubs, Torquay United, play them in the Blue Square Premier. I sat with two sets of directors I like, surrounded by two sets of fans I get on with. It was a pleasurable, if uncommon, experience.

Having moved into their new Pirelli Stadium Burton have really taken off. They have all mod cons including a proper, irrigated, pitch. It looked like Wembley. It didn't look like that when I was there. I was reminiscing with Nigel Clough before the game and I told him when I was manager we had a trickler of a hose pipe. The pitch was that bad one of my staff, Chris Stanley, used to rig up a piece of farming equipment behind his Ford Mondeo and drag it across the pitch to get some sort of a surface. The dust would fly up as he were doing it.

Now, as a non-league club they have a surface Wembley would be proud of. Which begs the question: do we pamper the modern-day footballer too much? The answer is possibly "yes". Most footballers now, backed up with their agents, hardly have to make any decision off their own bat. I might excuse the Burton lads though. They are one of the few clubs in that league who are still part-time, doing proper jobs and training two afternoons a week.

The game itself was a great advert for non-league football. Torquay have responded really well to being relegated and could have gone top with a win. Colin Lee, their manager, was telling me their crowds are up this season and averaging 3, 500, which is good for Torquay. I sensed a new optimism around their side.

That was before the game. Burton won 3-1 and thoroughly deserved it. The style of both teams was excellent. Both wanted to play football, there was no pulling out of tackles and it was full of excitement.

I went in the boardroom after the game as I had promised one or two people I'd sign copies of my book. No, before you ask, I didn't take a van load of them along with me. But, yes, it is still available at all good bookshops. I was greeted by a lady called Enid who brought me my first cup of tea at Burton in 1980 and it is still there, as polite as ever, still serving the best cup of tea. It is good to see a club progress without forgetting the people who have made a club what it is.

I saw one or two people smile at my summarising on Setanta, and afterwards they asked if I was feeling OK. I had said that the young ref, Mike Oliver, had a fabulous game. He was only 22 and I was delighted with his interpretation of the game. He could have booked another couple of players but gave them the benefit of the doubt and a good old-fashioned talking-to. I commented to his mentor, Steve Dunn, afterwards that I thought he looked a good prospect. Dunn was a similar sort of ref, preferring the quiet word to the card. I fear the biggest problem Oliver will have when he gets promoted to the elite group is he may lose all this common sense and humility. I hope not, and that he fulfils his promise.

3. Playing the English way can still pay off

Sometimes you can stumble across a team through injuries and it looks as if Steve McClaren has done that with England. I'm pleased for Steve. At times a manager needs a little bit of luck.

When I started it used to kill me when my best players got injured. Now I think it is for a reason. I've found that someone else will usually step in and play even better. It happened last season when Chris Lucketti had to come into the Sheffield United side. If he had not been injured as well he'd have stayed ever-present. Now it doesn't matter if Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and others are fit. Steve can disappoint them by leaving the team alone, though no doubt we'll have some injuries by then.

I enjoyed watching England more than I did Coronation Street, which is a massive statement for me. I'm not normally a fan of international football but I liked the way we played, the English way. It was just what I said we should do on the radio last week, get at them with Emile Heskey up front and close them down elsewhere. It was only Israel and Russia. Why play 20 passes in our own half against these teams? Lo and behold we give a real English performance against both teams.

I'm aware you can't play like that against Brazil in 90 degree heat but in 80 per cent of our games we can play the English way.

On the same night, what a fantastic result for Scotland. Even though they only had one shot the organisation was spot on and I was delighted. I never thought I'd find myself, with ten minutes to go in a Scotland game, turning over the channel and willing the Scots on, especially in the last seconds. When France got those two late corners I was jumping up to try to clear the ball for them.

4. I could do job at Hillsborough

I went to Hillsborough last weekend, not to watch football – Wednesday did not have a game – but to work. A mate of mine, Andrew Bennett, runs a gift shop there, near the stadium. I've long said I'd do a shift for him one Saturday morning and he's never believed me. Saturday I turned up and did three hours. I gave everyone the correct change and had some right banter with the Wednesdayites. I rang the local paper and they came down – I just wanted to see the billboards, "Warnock in at Hillsborough". I don't know which side of the city would be panicking more.

5. Riding high on a day out in Derbyshire

On Wednesday Sharon and I went cycling on the Tissington Trail. We took our fold-up bikes in the car to Ashbourne, Derbyshire, and did 27 miles. Yes, 27 miles. I can't believe it either. It was 13 and a half miles each way. We had not intended to go so far but after nine we were starving and it was quicker to go the extra four and a half miles to get something to eat than to go back. I would like to thank Jim and Rocky at the café for refuelling us.

6. Meaty issues can spark a family crisis

Being a caring father I was watching TV this week when there was a programme on about children looking after animals and organically feeding them. I called out to Amy to watch it ,as she likes all that. I didn't realise it would end up with the animals being killed and made into sausages. There's Amy with her "caring father" and she starts feeling sick. We now have a crisis in the family as she wants to become a vegetarian. Do other parents have these problems?

7. Title front runners will be tested to limit

This weekend brings up the most intriguing fixtures so far this season. While Liverpool have started brilliantly it is never easy at Pompey and it will be interesting to see how Liverpool react after an international week. Manchester United have a similarly difficult match at Everton who I hope give Phil Jagielka a chance to play. Then tomorrow there's Tottenham v Arsenal. Spurs haven't won this match for years but given what has gone on there they might do so this time. I cannot honestly see it but it happens like that sometimes. The only team in the top four with what looks a straightforward match is Chelsea, though Mark Hughes might have something to say about that.

8.Jane's warmth had a lasting impact

I am not surprised there was such a good turn-out at Jane Tomlinson's funeral yesterday. I don't know anyone who did not respect and admire here. She was a modern-day Wonder Woman.

I set off the half-marathon at Sheffield last Sunday and there were so many running on her behalf. I remember meeting her at an awards dinner one night, where she said, "I'm so proud to meet you." I replied, "The boot's on the other foot, it's me that's proud to meet you." She was an incredible, warm person who is sadly missed but not forgotten.