Warnock thrilled to have Campbell back

Neil Warnock has praised the impact of DJ Campbell on team morale at promoted side Queens Park Rangers.

The striker returned from a month’s absence with substitute appearances against Newcastle and Wolves in QPR’s last two matches.

He netted in a 3-0 win away to Wolves last Saturday, but manager Warnock values the former Blackpool and Leicester City player for more than his goal-scoring alone.

“As you’ve seen, he’s a lovely lad to have around the place, he’s bright and breezy,” Warnock said.

“He thinks he should be playing every week, when he forgets he was out for nearly three or four weeks with a terrible virus.”

“But he looked lively when he came on last week and it’s great to have him back.”

“He’s another one, like Shaun Wright-Phillips.”

“As a manager, at Sheffield United, I used to have a lad called Tommy Cowan and when I saw him on a morning he used to brighten my life up and I used to love Tommy Cowan.”

“And I love seeing DJ Campbell in the tunnel or the corridor, or Shaun Wright-Phillips because you know what you’re going to get – you’re going to get a big massive smile and it brightens it up.”

Next up for QPR is the visit of Aston Villa to Loftus Road on Sunday.

Villa are sixth in the English Premier League with seven points from five matches played, while QPR are level on points, three places back in ninth.