Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock plays down the hit and myth

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The man who has won all five play-off semi-finals in which he has been involved was at it again yesterday.

Warnock: kidology

He insisted that his Crystal Palace team are the outsiders in the Championship face-off that begins at Selhurst Park this lunchtime when Bristol City are the visitors.

He described the whole play-off scenario as horrible before attempting to demystify the myth that surrounds him and his record in the end-of-season lottery.

Trouble was, when he realised he was beginning to make an outstanding play-off record sound like a coincidence of good fortune, Warnock quickly counterbalanced the false modesty and the mind games became clear.

He said: 'People say I'm a lucky manager but you don't become lucky so many times. It's about what you do well.'

When asked why he could not pinpoint the reasons for his success and why he had no magic words for his players, the 59-year-old Yorkshireman responded: 'I didn't say I didn't know any magic words. I know plenty of magic words but I couldn't put my finger on one ingredient.

'I have suffered terribly in every play-off I've been involved in and I approach this one with trepidation. They are horrible things.'