 After leaving Bradford City , he joined Sheffield United , where he also took up a coaching role . When he retired in 2004 , he remained at Sheffield United as assistant to Neil Warnock . Working alongside Warnock and learning the managerial ropes from him , he helped mastermind Sheffield 's promotion to the Premier League in 2006 . United were relegated to the Championship on the final day of the 2006 – 07 season and Warnock resigned three days later . McCall had already decided that the 2006 – 07 season would be his last as assistant manager , and when he was overlooked as a successor to the United manager 's position , in favour of Bryan Robson , he decided to leave after five years with the club . 
