NEIL WARNOCK cannot wait to 'push Middlesbrough towards the other end of the table' after agreeing to remain as the club's manager next season.

As stated on The Northern Echo's website this morning, Warnock, who is interested in re-signing defender Ben Gibson, agreed to stay on after meeting Boro chairman Steve Gibson last Thursday.

The 71-year-old replaced Jonathan Woodgate in June with Boro in danger of relegation from the Championship, and won four of his eight games in charge to keep the club in the division.

“I’ve really enjoyed myself since I’ve come up here,” said Warnock, in an interview on Boro's official website. "The people in the area have made me and my family really welcome. 

"It’s been hard work, make no mistake. But this is a great club, and I’d like to take it towards the other end of the table.

"I just felt it was the right thing to do, to continue to shape the squad and take it forward. That’s what I’m going to try and do."

Warnock, who counts Boro as his 18th club, held talks with Gibson after the club's Championship status was secured.

"Steve asked me for a true appraisal of everything and that’s what I did," he said. "He was very helpful, he wants to improve the things I want improving and take the club forward.

"He’s always supportive of his managers isn’t he. I probably should have worked for him 20 years ago, 15, 10, five - but it is how it is and I’m going to enjoy it.

"I must have retired about five times now, but there’s always something that’s brought me back, a challenge, helping somebody out, and this is a similar situation."

Warnock will spend the next few weeks trying to improve Boro's squad ahead of the start of the new Championship season on September 12.

"It won’t be easy, we need quite a large influx of players and I’ll be doing my best over the next few weeks to get the right ones,” he said.

"Neil Bausor is helping as well, we’re all singing from the same hymn sheet really in terms of improving the squad. There might have to be sales as well but you don’t know what’s around the corner regarding that.

"It’s important that it’s a lot more structured squad than it has been and there are more options, especially defensive wise.

"We’re trying to change the squad around, and we need a bit of luck because you need the new lads to settle quickly.

"Some do, some don’t, but some of the players I’m trying to sign have been there and done it all, I want one or two down that spine who can change the mentality."