Neil Warnock is ready to return to the limelight, but are you ready for Neil Warnock? Twelve months after Sheffield United were relegated from the Barclays Premier League on the last day of the season, one of the most controversial managers in England is three games away from returning to the top flight with Crystal Palace.

Warnock has taken Palace from the Coca-Cola Championship relegation zone to the play-offs in just over six months and when it comes to promotion, he is the best in the business.

The straight-talking Yorkshireman has won six promotions as a manager — four via the play-offs — and if Palace get the better of Bristol City at Selhurst Park today and Ashton Gate on Tuesday, they will be one game away from the promised land of the Premier League. “Somebody said last week that lots of clubs would like to have me as their manager and that was very nice, but I don’t want to be loved by everybody,” Warnock said. “It wouldn’t be the same.”

Palace were heading for League One when Warnock replaced Peter Taylor last October, but they have not looked back since the manager put his faith in young, home-grown players such as Victor Moses and old heads such as Shaun Derry. “Twelve months ago I had the worst feeling in football,” Warnock said. “Quite a few people probably wouldn’t want me back in the Premier League, but I love the limelight.”

Palace are favourites to win today having lost once in 12 matches, whereas Bristol City have won two of their past 11 games. Warnock has not lost a play-offs semi-final over two legs, but will not be taking anything for granted. “I don’t know what the secret of my play-offs success is,” he said. “But long may it continue.”

Watford play Hull City in the other semi-final tomorrow and Tommy Smith, the Watford forward, is confident that a run of one win in the club’s past 14 games will not matter. “It’s always great to have form, but in these situations it counts for nothing, and thankfully that will suit us right now,” Smith said. Jay-Jay Okocha, the Hull midfield player, will miss the first leg at Vicarage Road because of a knee injury, but could return at the KC Stadium on Wednesday.

Crystal Palace (possible; 4-3-3): J Speroni - D Butterfield, M Hudson, J Fonte, C Hill - T Soares, S Derry, B Watson - S Sinclair, C Morrison, V Moses.

Bristol City (possible; 4-4-2): A Basso - B Orr, LCarey, J McCombe, J McAllister - D Noble, MElliott, N Carle, M McIndoe - L Trundle, D Adebola.

Referee: M Jones.

Television: Live on Sky Sports 1 from noon (kick-off 12.15pm).