Crystal Palace: Neil Warnock discussed return last year

Neil Warnock claims he first considered a return to Crystal Palace before Tony Pulis' appointment in 2013 and is not concerned about not being first choice.

Warnock, previously in charge of Palace from 2007 to 2010, has signed a two-year deal to succeed Pulis.

He said: "Before Tony came there was a possibility that he wasn't going to and we talked then. But then he changed his mind and they did fantastically.

"[Chairman and co-owner] Steve Parish has always known that I am available."

Palace were bottom when Pulis took over last November but he steered them to 11th place and won the Premier League's manager of the year award last season.

However, he left 48 hours before the start of the new campaign following a disagreement with Parish.

Warnock and former West Brom manager Steve Clarke were interviewed after Malky Mackay was ruled out and Tim Sherwood pulled out of the running.

The 65-year-old left Palace for QPR when the Eagles were in administration in 2010.

Warnock, who faces Newcastle in his first game in charge on Saturday, has not worked since leaving Leeds in April last year and is grateful for a second chance at Selhurst Park.

He added: "I wasn't really looking to get back into management, but it's not often you get a chance to repay a club that's really helped you, so it's great to have that chance.

"[Parish] just had to go through the candidates like he did.

"He said he never offered it to anybody beforehand and if I'm honest I'm not really bothered or what the betting was.

"I'm just glad that I'm here now and I'm not bothered how many were in front of me."