Rangers, last season's Championship winners, return to the Premier League for the first time since 1996 when they host Bolton on Saturday. It will be Warnock's first appearance in the top flight since overseeing Sheffield United's controversial relegation in 2007. The 62-year-old resigned from United in acrimonious circumstances and the circumstances of his departure continue to have a galvanising effect. "I thought Sheffield United would be my last club but every night I thought what happened and it was just like having toothache. Eventually I had to get back in," he said. "What drives me on is my desire to prove people wrong. It has been there since I was a player. "When I got free transfers I wanted to prove the manager wrong for letting me go. When I got sacked I wanted to prove them wrong. "Without a shadow of a doubt I was disappointed by the way I left Sheffield United. I feel like I've got something to prove to them. "There was a minority of fans at United who were disappointing. "Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for - look where United are now. "If I didn't have people to prove wrong I don't think I'd survive. It's who I am. "The toothache's gone, but the drive now is to stabilise the club in the Premier League. I don't want to manage anywhere else." Key to QPR's hopes of escaping an immediate return to the Championship is Adel Taarabt, their £12million-rated playmaker. Taarabt has been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain and Warnock is still unsure if his mercurial captain will be at Loftus Road come the end of the month. However, he is intrigued by the challenge of drawing the best from him in the Premier League. "It would be disappointing to see him go, but far easy easier for a manager to deal with!" he said. "This is the only club for him in England. It's whether anyone comes in for him from abroad that's prepared to buy him. "It's unlikely that clubs will want him because he's not proved himself in the Premier League. He's a top Championship player with a lot of ability. "He takes the limelight away from some of the other players who have great ability as well and that gives them a chance to shine. "Most teams double or treble up on him. Yes he's an enigma at times, but all top players are like that when they do what he does. "Since he was a kid he plays how he plays. I don't think he'll change, but he is learning what we expect of him in certain situations. "He was close to leaving, he had talks with PSG. I thought he was gone at one point." QPR have signed six players this summer - Bruno Perone, Jay Bothroyd, DJ Campbell, Danny Gabbidon, Kieron Dyer and Brian Murphy - and Warnock believes the club can stay up. "I know this season is going to be difficult, but we've got a good squad with the one or two extra ones I'm likely to bring in before the window closes. We'll have a fighting chance," he said.
