NEIL Warnock accused Stoke of being ‘childish’ when the hosts removed towels at half time used for throw-ins to wipe the ball.
The QPR boss brought his own towel for the second 45 minutes in the great 3-2 away win, but got warned that was also off limits. Later, referee Mike Jones insisted it was the same for Stoke when they tried to use one at the end.
“It was a little bit childish of them,” said Warnock. “How can you have towels in the first half and not the second? I went and got my own towel and the ref said I couldn’t use that.
“They got their own towel at the end and the ref saw them, and that may have something to do with why their physio got sent off.”
Potters boss Tony Pulis reckons Andrew Davies was sent to the stands for something he said, but Warnock was delighted he said a lot of things to Flavio Briatore in the summer.
Heidar Helguson would be QPR toast now if the former owner had anything to do with it.
Briatore insisted the Icelander be given a free transfer – only for Warnock to fight tooth and nail to keep him.
Result? Helguson netted a brace against Stoke on Saturday in the 3-2 away win – the first QPR player with his name on a pair since Kevin Gallen against West Ham in April 1996.
It was also the 34-year-old’s fifth this season, and although there was under the eye for the striker that gave him a massive lump, there was one in the eye for Briatore’s judgement.
“My previous owner didn’t want me to retain him because of his age,” said Warnock.
“But I told them I can see a Kevin Davies in Hediar, if he gets proper rest – and at the moment he’s like a young pup.
“I couldn’t buy anyone better than what Heidar is at the minute.”
Joey Barton tweeted that coins thrown at him when he took corners would forwarded to charity, and Luke Young helped himself to a fine goal that made him the furthest Ranger down the alphabet to net since William Young did the same to Southend in March 1926.
