People need to realise that following Covid-19 restrictions is a life-or-death matter

Warnock revealed he had been taking extra precautions to try and avoid catching the virus, to such an extent that he even washed his fruit and vegetables when he got home from the supermarket. He has also regularly disinfected the hard surfaces in his home, along with door handles, but still failed to avoid an infection.

“First of all, I was very surprised I’d got it because I’ve been so careful,” he said. “But it just shows you how simple it is to catch something.

“But once I’d got it, I was determined to try to do the exercise for my lungs, et cetera, to make sure I tried to keep those as wide-open as I could. Because it is basically when you get the problems in your lungs that you get your breathing difficulties, especially when you are older.

“I rested a lot and I listened to what the doc said to me and tried to treat it. It’s such a virus that you have to listen and act on what you are advised to do

“I’m very fortunate that I didn’t get it in March, April, May, when by the looks of it, we didn’t really know what we were doing, did we? We know more about it now.”

And Warnock is convinced it was only his exercise regime that meant he avoided any of the really severe symptoms.

“Some people are a lot older than what they are and some people are a lot younger than what they are,” he explained. “I just think it’s a battle of your mind.

“Even when I was younger as a player, I used to look at my managers – one manager in particular who, I remember, was really quite overweight – and I thought, ‘If ever I start managing, I don’t want my players to see me like that’.

“I remember that vividly and it’s driven me on. I like my players to know that I’m training after every session. They have a laugh because I have to have a headband on because I sweat terribly.

“I like to do that to keep fit not just [in terms of the virus], but the heart and everything else that you look after. You’ve got to look after it as you get older.

“I think because of that little bit of extra fitness, I managed to keep it away from my chest and my lungs.”