Neil Warnock relishing the chance to guide Rotherham to safety

The 67-year-old has become the Millers' third manager of the season on a deal until May, returning to the game after leaving QPR before Christmas.

Warnock takes over from Neil Redfearn at the New York Stadium and inherits a side three points from safety with 16 games of the season to go.

He has experience of going into clubs late in the season to perform a rescue act, having done it at Torquay in the early 1990s and QPR in 2010, and Warnock, who has brought Kevin Blackwell to the club as his assistant, is relishing the underdog status.

"There would have been one or two easier jobs than doing this, but it's a very challenging and exciting prospect," he said. "What the chairman has done over here is phenomenal.

"Until Wednesday I had no intention, I was working on talkSPORT on Tuesday and got asked and said 'no comment'.

"But the more I got asked about it the more I thought 'it's not a bad job'. I came a few weeks ago and really was welcomed by the fans and board.

"I was a player here for two years and had a great two years. I have a lot of contacts here and I have never really been a manager that has picked a club for whatever reason, I have just gone on what I feel.

"We are in trouble and we know there are only 16 games and six of the next eight games are against teams in the top eight.

"It's a difficult ask but I've always enjoyed challenges like this; it's back to being the underdogs again. The squad has some decent players and I am hoping we can take it forward.

"This is the 14th time I have retired and my 15th comeback but I do enjoy challenges in football."

Warnock has signed a deal until the end of the season and given his personal circumstances - he still lives in Cornwall and his wife has been suffering with ill health - he is unlikely to want to go beyond that initial period.

"It's an opportunity over a number of weeks, 12 weeks until the end of the season, to try and get the right results," he added.

"I love the Championship, I know it's the league for me. It's a hard league, it's a grafting league and all I ask is for the players to work hard and the fans will get behind us and the board will support us.

"I got asked if it goes well do I see myself here next year? I said, 'Son, I don't see myself next week, let alone next year'. I am 67, you don't know what's around the corner nowadays, all I know is that you cross bridges when you come to them. You never say no about anything and you never say yes to anything."

Millers chairman Tony Stewart, who admitted he considered Warnock when appointing Redfearn in October, is happy with the calibre of manager he has taken on.

"He has got a wealth of knowledge, we checked his record. It looks good, his CV is good," Stewart said.

"He has a charm, he has charisma and passion. This is a thing that we think will make a difference. He was on the radar four months ago and it's good to have both Neil and Kevin on board and move forward."