Warburton looking forward to City Ground return

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Mark Warburton has played down the significance of his return to the City Ground on Monday as he looks to become the first-ever QPR manager to record a season double over Nottingham Forest.

Rangers’ woeful record at Forest is well documented, with the club finally recording their first-ever victory there in December 2018 – and Warburton can make history if his in-form side beat them for the second time this season.


“I have a lot of respect for (Forest manager) Chris Hughton and they have a tremendous squad and had a good result at Cardiff on Friday,” Warburton said.

“Whether it’s (Anthony) Knockaert, (Lewis) Grabban, Glenn Murray or Lyle Taylor up top, Cafu and (James) Garner in midfield, Scott McKenna and Joe Worrall at the back, I could reel them all off, they are a good squad,” Warburton said.

“We know we face another very tough challenge and have to prepare well to face them.”

Warburton was sacked by Forest in December 2017 after a poor run of the results over the Christmas period left the club 10 points off the play-offs after he had kept the Reds in the Championship on the final day of the previous season.

The former Brentford and Glasgow Rangers manager has spoken in the past about his anger and disappointment at being shown the door by Forest, who have employed four permanent managers since his New Year’s Eve exit.

However, he insists he has nothing but respect for his former club, who Rangers beat 2-0 on the opening day of the season having drawn 0-0 on their visit to the City Ground last year.

“It’s a great football stadium – the fans were quite good to me last year,” he said.

“I would never say or do anything to upset the fans there and if you go to work every day, work hard and be the best you can be that is all you can do.

“From our point of view the fans were good to us, but my job as QPR manager is to go up there and get the three points.”