Neil Warnock believes leading Cardiff City to promotion this season would be the ‘biggest achievement of his career’.

The Yorkshireman has been in coaching and management for almost four decades and has seven promotions on his CV.

Warnock wants to secure an eighth before he retires, eclipsing Dave Bassett, Graham Taylor and Jim Smith, who all have seven to their name.

Cardiff are the 15th different club in management and when he arrived the Bluebirds were second from bottom with eight points.

Now they are in second place, tucked in behind leaders Wolves and seven points ahead of third-placed Fulham.

He understands how much the final nine Championship fixtures – starting against Burton Albion at home on Friday (3pm) – mean to Cardiff City fans.

On a personal note, he says: “It would be the biggest achievement in my career,” he said. “And if you look at my career – it’s a long one!

“I’m getting older in the tooth, but I feel really young in my mind at the minute, and I’m really excited and enjoying it.

“I’ve been lucky to have seven promotions. I look back at those teams and they all had characters, they all had leaders and people that took responsibility.

“This group may even be the best I’ve ever had. I don’t know how far they can go, because we’ve only just started on the journey.”

Warnock has described Cardiff as a ‘blood and guts’ club, of the type he loves.

He is highly popular among Cardiff fans and says: “They’ve been absolutely fantastic. I’ve never had a response like this from the fans. I think there was a poll that said 95 per cent wanted me, which is great for a manager to know you’re wanted.

The Bluebirds would make it eight successive Championship wins if they win against Burton, who fighting against relegation and lie second from bottom.

Cardiff’s full squad are together again following the international break and Warnock said: “The lads showed what kind of spirit they have with the fact that they all went away together with their wives as a group.

“That’s unusual in a way and I’ve never seen it before.

“They are a close-knit group and I think they’ve enjoyed the rest. Now they’re back in training and I actually had to calm it down a bit yesterday because it was so intense.

“We’re back to normal and the last two days have been really good. I look forward to every game now – none more so than Burton on Friday.”

Neil Etheridge helped the Philippines earn a place in the Asian Cup finals, winning their final qualifying match against Tajikistan 2-1, and Warnock says: “He’s absolutely buzzing.

“It’s a great achievement and I imagine he’ll be knighted over there if they do things like that!

“He was really instrumental and when you see a country do something like that, it’s remembered forever. Now I’m looking forward to going on holiday there.”

Aaron Gunnarsson and Jamie Ward, who returned to playing action for Iceland and Northern Ireland respectively during the international break, are fit and ready if Warnock wants them to start against Burton.

Matthew Connolly is also in Cardiff’s squad, while Joe Ralls is still on his way back to fitness.

“Joe is doing really well, so we’ll see how these games go,” said Warnock. “I wouldn’t want to risk him before next weekend if I could help it. We’ll see what’s what.”

Jazz Richards, though, has had a setback and is ruled out for another two or three weeks.

“It’s a real blow for the lad,” said Warnock.

Burton’s starting line-up includes 36-year-old goalkeeper Stephen Bywater, who had two loan spells with the Bluebirds in 2002 and 2001.

Cardiff City, possible: Etheridge, Manga, Morrison, Bamba, Bennett, Damour, Grujic, Paterson, Mendez-Laing, Hoilett, Zohore.

Burton Albion, possible: Bywater, Flanagan, Naylor, Buxton, McFadzean, McCrory, Sordell, Davenport, Akpan, Dyer, Boyce.

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Cardiff have won 23 of their 37 Championship matches this season and their remaining fixtures are:

Good Friday, March 30 (3pm)

Cardiff City v Burton Albion (home)

Kenneth Zohore scored Cardiff’s winner against Burton at the Pirelli Stadium home on the opening day of this season.

Bank Holiday Monday, April 2 (3pm)

Sheffield United v Cardiff City (away) 

The Blades are the team Neil Warnock supporters growing up in Sheffield.

United back in the Championship after a six-year absence and are ninth place, two points outside the play-off places.

The Bluebirds earned a 2-0 win at Cardiff City Stadium earlier this season when Sean Morrison and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing scored.

Friday, April 6 (7.45pm)

Cardiff City v Wolves (home) 

Leaders Wolves, six points clear at the top, come to Cardiff for one of the most highly-anticipated fixtures of this season.

Warnock’s warriors won at Molineux this season with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Joe Ralls scoring.

Tuesday, April 10 (7.45pm)

Aston Villa v Cardiff City (away) 

Another huge match for the Bluebirds, who won 3-0 at home against Villa.

Saturday, April 14 April (3pm)

Norwich City v Cardiff City (away) 

The Canaries are comfortably mid-table this season, 13th place on 52 points.

City defeated Norwich 3-1 in December with Junior Hoilett, Joe Ralls and Omar Bogle the scorers.

Saturday, April 21 (7.45pm)

Cardiff City v Nottingham Forest (home) 

City are unbeaten in the last eight matches against Forest, winning seven.

Junior Hoilett and Danny Ward scored in a 2-0 win at the City ground. Ward’s fierce strike was voted ‘EFL Goal of the Weekend.’

Tuesday, April 24 (7.45pm)

Derby County v Cardiff City (away) 

This fixture was controversially postponed earlier this month.

Derby called the game off because of snowy conditions and Warnock described the decision as ‘disgraceful.’

Warnock suggested that Derby were happy with the postponement because of an injury crisis, but the EFL later backed Derby.

Saturday, April 28 (3pm)

Hull City v Cardiff City (away)

Relegated from the Premier League last season, this term has seen the Tigers slip to 18th in the league; hovering six points above the drop zone.

 

Sunday, May 6 (12.30pm)

Cardiff City v Reading (home) 

The Bluebirds’ final game of this season sees the Royals travel to South Wales. Reading’s team includes Wales and former Cardiff defender Chris Gunter.

Reading are three points above the relegation zone.

Lee Tomlin’s last-minute equaliser secued a point for Cardiff at the Madejski Stadium.

Remaining fixtures for the other five leading Championship clubs

Wolves

March

Friday 30 v Middlesbrough (away, 5.30pm)

April

Tuesday 3 v Hull City (home, 7.45pm)

Friday 6 v Cardiff City (away, 7.45pm)

Wednesday 11 v Derby County (home, 7.45pm)

Sunday 15 v Birmingham City (home, Noon)

Saturday 21 v Bolton Wanderers (3pm, away)

Saturday 28 v Sheffield Wednesday (3pm, home)

May

Sunday 6 v Sunderland (12.30pm, away)

Fulham

March

Friday 30 v Norwich City (3pm, away)

April

Tuesday 3 v Leeds United (7.45pm, home)

Saturday 7 Sheffield Wednesday (3pm, away)

Tuesday 10 v Reading (7.45pm, home)

Saturday 14 v Brentford (5.30pm, home)

Friday 20 v Millwall (7.45pm, away)

Saturday 28 v Sunderland (3pm, home)

May

Sunday 6 v Birmingham City (12.30pm, away)

Aston Villa

March

Saturday 31 v Hull City (3pm, away)

April

Tuesday 3 v Reading (7.45pm, home)

Saturday 7 v Norwich City (12.30pm, away)

Tuesday 10 v Cardiff City (7.45pm, home)

Friday 13 v Leeds United (7.45pm, home)

Saturday 21 v Ipswich Town (3pm, away)

Saturday 28 v Derby County (3pm, home)

May

Sunday 6 v Millwall (12.30pm, away)

Derby County

March

Friday 30 v Sunderland (7.45pm, home)

April

Monday 2 v Preston North End (12.45pm, away)

Saturday 7 v Bolton Wanderers (3pm, home)

Wednesday 11 v Wolves (7.45pm, away)

Saturday 14 v Burton Albion (away)

Saturday 21 v Middlesbrough (3pm, home)

Tuesday 24 v Cardiff City (7.45pm, home)

Saturday 28 v Aston Villa (3pm, away)

Sunday 6 v Barnsley (12.30pm, home)

Middlesbrough

March

Friday 30 v Wolves (5.30pm, home)

April

Monday 2 v Burton Albion (3pm, away)

Saturday 7 v Nottingham Forest (3pm, home)

Tuesday 10 v Sheffield United (7.45pm, away)

Saturday 14 v Bristol City (3pm, home)

Saturday 21 v Derby County (3pm, away)

Saturday 28 v Millwall (3pm, home)

May

Sunday 6 v Ipswich Town (12.30pm, away)