It’s the Neil Warnock joke that’s sweeping the nation, and it’s about to secure its owner the position of Nottingham Forest manager following the sacking of Billy Davies.

The joke, really more of an anecdote, was aired by BBC on Sunday during its one-off Some Football Managers With Jokes programme for Sport Relief – it was something to do with something that happened to a mate of his while they were out, or something.

Something like that. Or something.

However unmemorable the Neil Warnock joke may have been, Forest owner Fawaz Al Hasawi was sufficiently impressed by it to offer the former Sheffield United, Queens Park Rangers, Crystal Palace and Leeds United boss a shot at the City Ground hot seat.

He told Football Burp: “Well, I thought it was funny.

“To be honest, I didn’t really understand any of the other jokes. Especially Iain Dowie’s – why would a bear want to have sex with a man?

“But the Neil Warnock joke, that was the kind of thing a successful Kuwaiti businessman such as myself can relate to.

“I was so happy with it, and therefore him, that I’ve already agreed to sign Michael Brown and Paddy Kenny on contracts stipulating that they have to play every game, even at the expense of bright young players on loan from Premiership clubs.

“Neil talked me through his plans for Nottingham Forest, and his acerbic asides had me laughing so hard that I instantly forgave him for having prepared nothing apart from a piece of card reading ‘f***ing t**t it up the f***ing pitch, twazzock!’.

“We’ll be selling that piece of card on eBay for Sport Relief. Five hundred quid.”

Billy Davies was unavailable for comment as he was busy arguing with the postman.