Peter Jackson is looking forward to seeing some old friends, including Harry Redknapp, when he returns to the John Smith’s Stadium this afternoon.

The QPR boss has written one of the forewords to the former Town manager’s forthcoming book, Living With Jacko.

And the pair, whose friendship stretches back to the Eighties, will have a chat and a drink before Redknapp and current Town chief Mark Robins pit their wits against each other.

“I first got to know Harry when I was playing for Bradford City and he was manager of Bournemouth,” explained Jackson, who had two successful spells at the Town helm.

“We’d have a talk after matches, and when I became Town manager the first time (in October 1997) he was one of the first on the phone to congratulate me.

“By that time, Harry was manager of West Ham, and he was one of those who would always be ready to talk about players and teams or give you advice.

Harry Redknapp
Harry Redknapp

“I picked his brains one or two times over the years, and we’ve arranged to catch up over a cup of tea before this afternoon’s match.”

It’s two years since Jackson, who skippered and managed both Town and Bradford, called time on an eventful career in football by resigning as Bantams boss.

As well as Town and Bradford, where he was captain on the tragic day of the 1985 Valley Parade fire which claimed 56 lives, he played for Newcastle, Chester and Halifax.

He also managed Lincoln, and during his time in charge at Sincil Bank between 2007-09, fought throat cancer.

Now 52, he and wife Alison, once an oncology nurse, have built a successful business providing hands-on home care for the elderly, disabled and terminally ill.

Living With Jacko, to be published next month by Great Northern Books, reflects on the lives of both of the couple, who have two children.

“There are a lot of football books out there, and in my view, they have all become a bit similar,” explained Jackson.

“I wanted to try and do something a bit different, and while the football is obviously covered in detail, it’s also about Alison, Charlotte and Oliver and the big parts they have played.”

Jackson made 196 appearances as a centre-back in four years at Town from September 1990, when Eoin Hand snapped him up on a free from Bradford.

Peter Jackson in is playing days
Peter Jackson in is playing days

Popular as a player, he became a hero as a manager by guiding Town to the ‘Great Escape’ from relegation from the First Division (now Championship) in 1997-98.

The season after, with the likes of Wayne Allison, Rob Edwards, Barry Horne, Steve Jenkins, Marcus Stewart, Ben Thornley and Nico Vaesen in the ranks, he led Town to 10th.

Sacked at the end of that campaign to make way for Steve Bruce, Jackson returned to Town in 2004, after they had slipped into administration and the basement division.

He took the club straight back into League I via a thrilling penalty shoot-out win over Mansfield in the play-off final at the Millennium Stadium.

Town finished ninth in 2004-05 before making the play-offs the season after, when Barnsley came out on top in a semi-final derby.

There was also a memorable FA Cup third-round tussle with Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, when Town went down 2-1 in the third-round tie at Stamford Bridge.

Jackson departed by mutual consent in March 2007, but admits he still has a huge affection for Town and their fans.

“It’s great to see the club up where they are now, and all credit to Dean Hoyle for the way he has backed and developed Town,” said Jackson.

“It’s a long way from when I started my second spell as manager, and I’m proud to think I made a contribution to the revival after administration.

“Getting back into League I at the first attempt was crucial, because otherwise, I think the club might have become anchored in the bottom division.

“It was hard work, but we had tremendous spirit, and I still don’t think the team that won at the Millennium Stadium get the credit they should.

“It was a real mix of young lads like Jon Stead – and it’s great to see him back at Town, by the way – and older heads like Andy Booth, Martyn Booty and Steve Yates.

“Robbie Edwards returned to the club and did a terrific job for me.

“And Efe Sodje was a real rock in defence.

“My one regret is that we didn’t achieve back-to-back promotions.

“We finished 2004-05 on a real roll with eight wins out of nine, and if we hadn’t dropped two points at Colchester, we’d have gone into the play-offs with real momentum.

“Then, when we did make the play-offs a year later, we really should have finished the job after winning the semi-final first leg at Barnsley, but it just wasn’t to be.”

Harry Redknapp goes into his first managerial meeting with Mark Robins saying away wins are vital if QPR are to return to the Premier League at the first attempt.

Home winners over Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship last Saturday, the Londoners won 2-0 at Exeter in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday.

Now they head North, and Redknapp said: “I felt it was important to get off to a good start and we’ve done that.

“If we can get a win tomorrow that will be a dream start for us. We need to be able to go away from home and win this season and I feel we’ve got the right characters in the squad to do that, I really do.

“But It will be a tough game. They’re a decent side and a well-run club. It’s a decent stadium up there as well, so we know it won’t be easy.”

Anton Ferdinand has become a free agent after leaving QPR by mutual consent.