Steve Bruce
Template:Short description Template:Pp-protected Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Featured article Template:Infobox football biography Stephen Roger Bruce (born 31 December 1960) is an English professional football manager and former player who was a centre-back in a twenty-year playing career. He is currently the head coach of EFL League One club Blackpool.
Born in Corbridge, Northumberland, Bruce was a promising schoolboy footballer but was rejected by several professional clubs. He was on the verge of quitting the game altogether when he was offered a trial with Gillingham. He was offered an apprenticeship and went on to play more than 200 games for the club before joining Norwich City in 1984, winning the League Cup in 1985. In 1987, he moved to Manchester United, with whom he achieved great success, winning twelve trophies including three Premier League titles, three FA Cups, one League Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup. He also became the first English player of the 20th century to captain a team to the Double. Despite his success on the field, he was never selected to play for the England national team. Commentators and contemporaries have described him as one of the best English players of the 1980s and 1990s never to play for his country at full international level.
Bruce began his managerial career with Sheffield United, and spent short periods of time managing Huddersfield Town, Wigan Athletic and Crystal Palace before joining Birmingham City in 2001. He twice led Birmingham to promotion to the Premier League during his tenure of nearly six years, but resigned in 2007 to begin a second spell as manager of Wigan. At the end of the 2008–09 season, he resigned to take over as manager of Sunderland, a post he held until he was dismissed in November 2011. Seven months later, he was appointed manager of Hull City and led the club to two promotions to the Premier League, as well as the 2014 FA Cup Final, before leaving in July 2016. He took over at Aston Villa four months later but was dismissed in October 2018. He became manager of Sheffield Wednesday in February 2019, and left in July that year to take over at Newcastle United. He managed the club through the COVID-19 pandemic, keeping them in the Premier League, and left in November 2021 following the club's takeover by the Public Investment Fund. His final match in charge was his 1,000th in club management. In February 2022, Bruce took over as manager of West Bromwich Albion but was dismissed in October of the same year due to a poor start to the 2022–23 season. He was appointed head coach of Blackpool in September 2024.
Early lifeEdit
Bruce was born in Corbridge in Northumberland, the elder of two sons of Joe and Sheenagh Bruce.<ref>Bruce (1994), p. 33.</ref> His father was local; his mother was a native of Bangor, Northern Ireland.<ref name="Ireland">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Vital">Template:Cite news</ref> The family lived in Daisy Hill, near Wallsend,<ref>Bruce (1994), p. 34.</ref> and Bruce attended Benfield School.<ref name="SB38">Bruce (1994), p. 38.</ref>
Bruce, a boyhood fan of Newcastle United, said that he sneaked into St James' Park without paying to watch the team play, saying "I have always been a Newcastle lad and when I was a kid, I crawled under the turnstiles to get in to try and save a bob or whatever it was. They were my team, I went to support them as a boy and being a Geordie it's in-bred, you follow the club still the same today."<ref name="ManU">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Like several other future professionals from the area,<ref name="MULeg" /> he played football for Wallsend Boys Club.<ref name="ManU" /> He was also selected for the Newcastle Schools representative team, and at the age of 13 was among a group of players from that team who were selected to serve as ball boys at the 1974 League Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.<ref name="SB74">Bruce (1994), p. 74.</ref>
Having been turned down by several professional clubs, including Newcastle United, Sunderland, Derby County and Southport, Bruce was about to start work as an apprentice plumber at the Swan Hunter dockyard when he was offered a trial by Third Division club Gillingham, whose manager Gerry Summers had seen him playing for Wallsend in an international youth tournament.<ref name="SB39">Bruce (1994), pp. 39–40.</ref> He travelled down to Kent with Peter Beardsley, another player from the Wallsend club, but although Gillingham signed Bruce as an apprentice, they turned Beardsley away.<ref name="Buster2" /> At the time, Bruce was playing as a midfielder, but he was switched to the centre of defence by the head of Gillingham's youth scheme, Bill Collins, whom Bruce cites as the single biggest influence on his career.<ref name="Buster2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Buster">Template:Cite news</ref>
Playing careerEdit
GillinghamEdit
Bruce spent the 1978–79 season in Gillingham's reserve team and, despite playing in defence, scored 18 goals to finish the season as top scorer.<ref name="triggs">Triggs (2001), p. 70.</ref> In January 1979, he was selected to represent the England youth team, and he went on to gain eight caps, participating in the 1980 UEFA European Under-18 Championship.<ref name="SB52">Bruce (1994), pp. 52–53.</ref> He came close to making his debut for the club's senior team in May 1979, but Summers decided at the last minute that, as Gillingham were chasing promotion from the Third Division, Bruce was not yet ready to handle the pressure of the occasion.<ref name="SB53">Bruce (1994), p. 53.</ref> He eventually made his senior debut in a League Cup tie against Luton Town on 11 August 1979,<ref name="First season" /> and made an immediate impact in the team, winning the club's Player of the Year award at the end of the 1979–80 season.<ref name="SB57">Bruce (1994), p. 57.</ref> He went on to make more than 200 appearances for the club,<ref name="triggs"/> and was twice voted into the Professional Footballers' Association's Third Division Team of the Year.<ref name="triggs352">Triggs (2001), p. 352.</ref>
Confident that he was being targeted by clubs from higher divisions, Bruce resolved not to sign a new contract with Gillingham when his existing deal expired at the end of the 1983–84 season.<ref name="SB60">Bruce (1994), p. 60.</ref> In an April 1983 match against Newport County, he attempted, in a moment of anger, to deliberately injure opposition player Tommy Tynan, but connected awkwardly and succeeded only in breaking his own leg, leaving him unable to play again for six months.<ref name="SB62">Bruce (1994), p. 62.</ref> He returned in time to play a key role in Gillingham achieving two draws against Everton in the FA Cup in 1984, attracting the attention once again of scouts from First Division clubs.<ref name="Buster2" /> Arthur Cox, manager of Bruce's beloved Newcastle United, expressed an interest in signing the player, but resigned from his job before any further action could be taken.<ref name="SB65">Bruce (1994), p. 65.</ref> Bruce eventually opted to sign for Norwich City in August 1984 for a fee variously reported as £125,000<ref name="sang">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> or £135,000.<ref name="triggs" /> In 2009, he was voted into Gillingham's Hall of Fame.<ref name="GFCHOFR">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Norwich CityEdit
Bruce began the 1984–85 season by scoring an own goal in the first minute of his debut for Norwich against Liverpool,<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref> but went on to score the team's winning goal in the semi-final of the League Cup against local rivals Ipswich Town,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and was named man of the match in Norwich's victory in the final.<ref name="LC85">Template:Cite news</ref> Bruce was voted Norwich City Player of the Season, but the team was relegated to the Second Division.<ref name="Ash">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Bruce played in every match as Norwich won promotion back to the top division at the first time of asking in the 1985–86 season,<ref name="Ash" /><ref name="2D">Template:Cite book</ref> after which he was chosen to replace the departing Dave Watson as club captain.<ref name="SB85">Bruce (1994), p. 85.</ref> The following season he helped the club to its highest league finish to date of fifth position.<ref name="8695history">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 1987, he was chosen to captain the England B team in a match against the full national team of Malta,<ref name="SB88">Bruce (1994), p. 88.</ref> but it was to be his only appearance in an England shirt, and he has subsequently been described as one of the best defenders of his era never to be selected for the full England team.<ref name="MattU">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="fi">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Bruce later stated, "I bumped into former England manager Bobby Robson in Benfica (sic). He came up to me and said 'I should have capped you'. It was nice to hear but it still didn't get me one .... I'll always be a little disappointed I didn't get one."<ref name="champs">Template:Cite book</ref>
Bruce began to attract the attention of big-name clubs in late 1987, with Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Rangers all reported to be interested in signing him.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Manchester United quickly emerged as the front runners for his signature, and Bruce publicly expressed his desire to sign for the club.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The deal came close to collapsing when Norwich asked for a transfer fee of £900,000 after initially agreeing to accept £800,000,<ref name="gone" /> leading to Bruce refusing to play any further matches for the club, which he felt was jeopardising his dream move.<ref name="SB93">Bruce (1994), p. 93.</ref> On 17 December 1987, shortly before his 27th birthday, the deal was concluded and Bruce officially left Carrow Road,<ref name="gone">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> for a fee reported as £800,000<ref name="sang" /> or £825,000.<ref name="MULeg">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Norwich fans remembered his contribution, and in 2002 voted him into the Norwich City Hall of Fame.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Manchester UnitedEdit
Bruce made his Manchester United debut in a 2–1 win over Portsmouth on 19 December 1987,<ref name="all" /> and played in 21 of United's remaining 22 league fixtures,<ref name="all2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> helping the club to a top-two place in the First Division for the first time since 1980.<ref name="FCHDMU">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The team only finished in mid-table in the following season,<ref name="FCHDMU2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> prompting manager Alex Ferguson to bring in several new players, including Gary Pallister, who joined the club in August 1989 from Middlesbrough.<ref name="IP2">Ponting (2000), p. 193.</ref> His partnership with Bruce in the centre of defence was described in 2006 by the then-United captain, Gary Neville, as the best in the club's history.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> "Dolly and Daisy", as the pair were affectionately known, are described as "arguably the best" on the official Manchester United website.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Bruce and Pallister were part of the team that won the 1990 FA Cup Final against Crystal Palace in a replay.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Following the lifting of the five-year ban on English clubs from European competitions, which had been imposed after the Heysel Stadium disaster, United became England's first entrants into the European Cup Winners' Cup in the 1990–91 season.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Bruce played regularly, and scored three goals, in the team's progress to the final against FC Barcelona.<ref name="stret91">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He came close to scoring the first goal, only for Mark Hughes to deflect the ball over the line and claim the goal,<ref name="CWC">Template:Cite news</ref> and United went on to win the game 2–1. This was a particularly high-scoring season for Bruce, who found the net 13 times in the First Division and 19 times in total in all competitions.<ref name="stret91" /> He also played again at Wembley, in the League Cup final, in which United were defeated by Sheffield Wednesday of the Second Division.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Bruce missed several weeks of the 1991–92 season when he underwent an operation on a longstanding hernia problem,<ref name="recovery">Template:Cite news</ref> in which Leeds United, after a season-long tussle, beat Manchester United to the championship by four points.<ref>Bateson and Sewell (1992), pp. 54, 309–311.</ref> Bruce helped United win their first-ever League Cup in April 1992,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> captaining the team in the final in place of the injured Bryan Robson.<ref>Bateson and Sewell (1992), p. 91.</ref> Injuries continued to take their toll upon Robson during the 1992–93 season, leading to Bruce captaining the team in the majority of United's matches during the first season of the new Premier League.<ref name="champs" /> Bruce scored two late goals in a win over Sheffield Wednesday which proved decisive in United winning the inaugural Premier League title,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> the first time the club had won the championship of English football since 1967, and he and Robson received the trophy jointly after the home victory over Blackburn Rovers on 3 May.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
At the height of his success with United, Bruce was contacted by Jack Charlton, manager of the Republic of Ireland national team, who had discovered that, due to his mother's place of birth, Bruce was eligible to play for Ireland. Bruce states in his autobiography that further investigation revealed that, while his earlier appearance for England B in a friendly was not an issue, his appearances for the England Youth team in a UEFA-sanctioned tournament prohibited him from playing for the senior team of another country.<ref name="SB89">Bruce (1994), p. 89.</ref> He has subsequently claimed that he chose not to play for Ireland as it would have caused problems for his club at a time when UEFA restricted the number of foreign players that a club could have in their squad in its competitions.<ref name="Ireland" />
United dominated English football in the 1993–94 season, winning a second consecutive Premier League title and then defeating Chelsea in the FA Cup final to become only the fourth team, and Bruce the first English captain, to win the Double in the 20th century,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>The other 20th-century Double-winning captains were Dave Mackay and Alan Hansen, both from Scotland, and Danny Blanchflower from Northern Ireland.</ref><ref name="SB1">Bruce (1994), p. 1.</ref> The 1994–95 season was a disappointing one for Bruce and United, as the club failed in its bid to win a third consecutive Premier League title and lost to Everton in the FA Cup final.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
During the following season Bruce was offered the job of manager by three clubs, but Ferguson refused to allow him to pursue the opportunities as he felt the player still had a role to play in the United team.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Bruce made a further 30 Premier League appearances,<ref name="all">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> as United managed to overcome a 12-point deficit to Newcastle United to win the championship once again.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A week later he was left out of United's squad for the FA Cup final due to a slight injury.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At the end of the match Eric Cantona, who had captained the team and scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over Liverpool, attempted to persuade Bruce to be the one to receive the trophy, but Bruce declined.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Ferguson denied that Bruce's omission was a sign that his time at the club was nearing an end,<ref name="Leaving MU" /> but Bruce opted to join First Division club Birmingham City on a free transfer, having signed a contract valued at nearly £2 million over two years, which made him one of the highest-paid players in the country.<ref name="Leaving MU">Template:Cite news</ref>
Later playing careerEdit
Bruce was among five former Premier League players signed by Birmingham manager Trevor Francis to add experience to a squad expected to challenge for promotion.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was made captain of the team,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but his Birmingham career was dogged by a series of disagreements with Francis.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Director David Sullivan felt the need to publicly deny rumours that Bruce was lined up to replace Francis as manager after the club's stock market flotation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> While playing for Birmingham, Bruce was the subject of several bids from his old Manchester United colleague Bryan Robson to sign for Middlesbrough, but the transfer never happened.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The 1997–98 season saw Bruce being left out more frequently, and his omission against Nottingham Forest provoked a public war of words, which fuelled rumours that the manager was to be dismissed and that Bruce would take over as caretaker until the end of the season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At the end of the season he accepted the post of player-manager of Sheffield United. Though the deal was delayed while Birmingham attempted to negotiate a transfer fee for his playing contract,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> he took up his new position on 2 July 1998.<ref name="Managers: Steve Bruce"/> He played 11 matches for the club before retiring as a player, his final appearance being in a home match against Sunderland on 28 November 1998.<ref name="Games played by Steve Bruce in 1998/1999"/>
Style of playEdit
During the early part of his career, Bruce's sometimes over-enthusiastic playing style, which he later described as "rampaging",<ref name="Buster2" /> caused him disciplinary problems. He later developed into a solid and dependable all-round player, characterised as "an honest trier who made the absolute most of limited natural ability".<ref name="IP">Ponting (2000), p. 177.</ref> In his prime, he was particularly noted for his calm and deliberate passing of the ball, and his ability to control it under pressure, often with his chest. At the time, Mark Wright of Liverpool was said to be the only other centre-back able to match Bruce's level of skill in these areas.<ref name="recovery" />
Bruce was also known for his unusually high goalscoring rate for a centre-back, resulting from a combination of his ability to powerfully head the ball and his effectiveness in taking penalty kicks.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Although lacking poise and grace,<ref name="IP" /> and often criticised for his lack of pace,<ref name="IP" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> his bravery and willingness to take knocks from opposition players made him the "heart" of the defence during his time with Manchester United.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was well known for continuing to play even when injured,<ref name="IP" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> including returning to the United team at short notice in 1992 even though he was awaiting an operation on a hernia.<ref name="recovery" /> His indomitable spirit and motivational abilities were deemed vital to the United team,<ref name="IP" /> and Alex Ferguson has commented on his "determination and heart".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Managerial careerEdit
Early managerial careerEdit
In his first season as a manager, Bruce guided Sheffield United to eighth place in the First Division, nine points away from a place in the play-offs.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He caused controversy when he attempted to take his team off the pitch during an FA Cup match against Arsenal. Bruce felt that the Gunners had broken an unwritten rule of sportsmanship by scoring the winning goal from a throw-in instead of returning the ball to United, who had intentionally kicked it out of play to allow an injured player to be attended to. Although the game eventually continued to a finish, following a gesture by Arsenal the match was declared void and replayed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In May 1999, Bruce resigned from his post after just one season in charge, citing turmoil in the club's boardroom and a shortage of funds for transfers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He contemplated leaving football for a job in television, but was persuaded by Huddersfield Town owner Barry Rubery to become the club's manager.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Huddersfield were early promotion contenders in the 1999–2000 season, winning six consecutive matches to rise to third place in the First Division table by late November,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but lost form and failed to reach the play-offs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The team continued to struggle at the start of the 2000–01 season, gaining just six points from 11 matches, and Bruce was sacked in October 2000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> From November 1999 until his departure, Bruce was on the club's board of directors.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He then became involved in a dispute with Rubery, who accused him of "wasting" £3 million on players and having "an ego to feed".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Although he was linked with the manager's job at Queens Park Rangers,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Bruce remained out of the game until he was appointed manager of Wigan Athletic in April 2001.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The team reached the Second Division play-offs but lost in the semi-finals,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Bruce almost immediately left the club, where he had been in charge for less than two months, to take over as manager of Crystal Palace.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Although his new club began the 2001–02 season strongly, topping the First Division table and looking well placed for regaining the Premier League place that it had last held in the 1997–98 season,<ref name="hurry">Template:Cite news</ref> Bruce tendered his resignation less than three months into the season in order to return to Birmingham City as manager. Although he was initially prevented from doing so by an injunction taken out by Crystal Palace, he was eventually allowed to join the Midlands-based club after a compensation package was agreed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By now he had acquired a reputation as a manager who rarely held down a job for a significant length of time.<ref name="hurry" />
Birmingham CityEdit
Upon his arrival, the Blues were in a mid-table position in the First Division,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but a lengthy unbeaten run saw the team qualify for the play-offs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The team went on to beat Bruce's former club Norwich City in the final after a penalty shoot-out to gain promotion to the Premier League, ending a 16-year absence from the top level of English football.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Birmingham spent the early part of the 2002–03 season struggling near the foot of the Premier League table, but Bruce's signing of Christophe Dugarry revitalised the team, who ended the season in 13th place and finished higher than local rivals Aston Villa for the first time since the 1970s.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The following season began well for Birmingham, who climbed as high as fourth in the table, but the team's fortunes declined and they could only finish in tenth place at the end of the season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Despite this disappointment, Bruce signed a new contract in June 2004 designed to keep him at St Andrew's for a further five years,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but just two months later Freddy Shepherd, chairman of Newcastle United, was reported to have made Bruce his main target in the search for a new manager to replace Bobby Robson. The club was reportedly prepared to pay Birmingham more than £3 million in compensation, and Bruce himself was said to be keen to take over at St James' Park,<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref> but he ultimately remained at Birmingham. He stated that "as far as I'm concerned, I've got a job to do [at Birmingham City] and I'm determined to get on with it", but it was also reported that Newcastle would have been required to pay a much larger compensation fee or face legal action had he been persuaded to switch clubs.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Initial expectations were high for the 2004–05 season, but the club once again finished in a mid-table position, ending the season in 12th place.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Following the sacking of Graeme Souness as Newcastle manager in February 2006, Bruce was again linked with the job,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> which ultimately went to Glenn Roeder.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By this stage of the 2005–06 season, Birmingham were struggling in the league, and on 21 March 2006 were beaten 7–0 at home by Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Some supporters of the club began to call for his resignation, but Bruce insisted that he would fight on as manager.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The team managed to climb out of the relegation zone for the first time in nearly six months after a win over Bolton Wanderers in early April 2006.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, they were soon overtaken by Portsmouth, whose victory over Wigan Athletic on 29 April left Birmingham mathematically unable to match their points total and therefore relegated.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Although Bruce had the largest transfer budget in the division made available to him,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Birmingham made a slow start to the 2006–07 season in the Championship and, after a 1–0 defeat at home to Norwich City, the team's fifth consecutive match without a win, there were calls from fans and local journalists for the manager to be sacked.<ref name="Gold">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Gold2">Template:Cite news</ref> Bruce publicly accepted responsibility for the team's poor run and admitted that he feared for his job,<ref name="Fear">Template:Cite news</ref> but the team responded with a 1–0 victory over Derby County,<ref name="chant">Template:Cite news</ref> and then recorded a further five consecutive league victories to be joint leaders of the league table by late November.<ref name="top">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 29 April 2007, Birmingham secured promotion to the Premier League, with one match to play, by virtue of Derby County's 2–0 defeat at Crystal Palace. Chairman David Gold told the press "There have been some dark days but Steve has been outstanding. He was determined to bounce back. He has rebuilt the team and now we are all back where we want to be."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Wigan AthleticEdit
In May 2007, Birmingham's board agreed a new contract for Bruce, but the unwillingness of the club's prospective purchaser Carson Yeung to ratify it left his future uncertain.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In October 2007, Bolton Wanderers were refused permission to speak to him about their managerial vacancy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Later that month, Bruce and Yeung held a meeting which reportedly had positive results.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Bruce later claimed that Birmingham's managing director Karren Brady had "shafted" him on a new contract with the club,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and when Wigan Athletic requested permission to speak to Bruce about their managerial vacancy, he was receptive to their approach.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As required under the terms of his contract, Wigan agreed to pay Birmingham a then-world record compensation for the loss of his services of around £3 million,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and they were then allowed to speak to him. On 19 November, Wigan announced the signing of Bruce for a second time.<ref name=left_Birmingham_BBC>Template:Cite news</ref>
On 21 November, during a press conference which was intended to formally present Bruce as the new manager of Wigan, the club's chief executive Brenda Spencer informed the media that the deal had been put on hold by "unknown issues" between Bruce and Birmingham City, reported to centre on the advance payment of the image rights element of Bruce's contract at St Andrew's.<ref name=left_Birmingham_BBC2>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=imagerights>Template:Cite news</ref> On 23 November 2007 Wigan announced that Bruce had now signed his contract and would officially rejoin the Latics.<ref name=BBCconfirmWigan>Template:Cite news</ref> His first game in charge was a 1–1 home draw with Manchester City on 1 December 2007.<ref name=firstgameback>Template:Cite news</ref> Wigan spent the remainder of the season struggling against relegation, but the club secured Premier League survival with victory over Aston Villa in the penultimate game of the season.<ref name=BBCWigan>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In September 2008, Bruce was once again linked with the manager's job at Newcastle United following the departure of Kevin Keegan.<ref name=LEP>Template:Cite news</ref>
Bruce led Wigan to an 11th-place finish in the 2008–09 season,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> despite the loss of midfielder Wilson Palacios to Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
SunderlandEdit
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On 27 May 2009, Bruce was reported to have been given permission to talk to Sunderland about succeeding Ricky Sbragia, who resigned as manager after the last match of the season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Bruce was confirmed as the new manager of Sunderland on 3 June after signing a three-year contract.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was joined at Sunderland by three of his former Wigan Athletic coaching staff, assistant Eric Black, goalkeeping coach Nigel Spink, and reserve team coach Keith Bertschin.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In his first season at Sunderland, despite a run of 14 games without a win, Bruce led the Black Cats to a 13th-place finish in the Premier League.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Bruce made wholesale changes to Sunderland's squad, signing 13 players and selling 15 in his first 18 months at the club.<ref name=taylor/> On 25 February 2011, Bruce signed an extension to his contract, keeping him at Sunderland until 2014, with chairman Niall Quinn stating that "In only 18 months he has reshaped our squad beyond recognition, bringing in some fantastically talented players. He embodies the ethos of teamwork and the importance of camaraderie in creating a wonderful spirit of togetherness amongst the players and staff".<ref name=taylor>Template:Cite news</ref>
Bruce was dismissed as manager on 30 November 2011, with Sunderland in 16th position following a poor run of form which culminated with a 2–1 home defeat to bottom club Wigan four days earlier.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He later linked his dismissal from the managerial post with the fact that he is a fan of Newcastle United, Sunderland's bitter rivals.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Hull CityEdit
On 8 June 2012, Bruce was appointed as manager at Championship club Hull City on a three-year contract.<ref name="Steve Bruce appointed Hull City manager on three-year deal">Template:Cite news</ref> In his first season with the club, he led them to promotion to the Premier League, clinching second place in the Championship on the final day of the season.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The following season, the "Tigers" came 16th with a club record tally of 37 points,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and reached the final of the FA Cup for the first time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They took a two-goal lead in the first ten minutes of the final, but opponents Arsenal scored a goal in each half to take the game into extra-time and then scored a third to win the trophy.<ref name="Arsenal 3-2 Hull City">Template:Cite news</ref> Reaching the final qualified Hull for the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League, their first European campaign.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
In March 2015, Bruce signed a three-year contract extension.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A run of poor form left Hull near the bottom of the table going into the final game of the 2014–15 season and needing to defeat Bruce's former club Manchester United to stand any chance of avoiding relegation.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They could only manage a 0–0 draw and were relegated to the Championship. The poor performances of a number of players signed by Bruce, including club record signing Abel Hernández, were identified as key factors in the club's failure to remain in the Premier League.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In January 2016, Bruce won the Championship Manager of the Month after leading Hull to four victories; Hernández, who scored six times, got the players' equivalent.<ref name="Hull's Steve Bruce and Abel Hernandez land January's Sky Bet Championship awards">Template:Cite news</ref> Hull finished the season in fourth, qualifying for the play-offs, where they defeated Derby County in the semi-finals. In the final on 28 May, a 25-yard goal from Mohamed Diamé against Sheffield Wednesday won Hull promotion to the Premier League for the second time during Bruce's spell in charge. Bruce said after the game that he had considered resignation following the team's relegation, and would hold talks with the prospective new owners to be assured of his future.<ref name="promoted">Template:Cite news</ref> In July 2016, with his future at Hull seemingly still uncertain, he was interviewed by officials of The Football Association concerning the vacant position of manager of England.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Three days later, Bruce met with Hull City officials and announced his resignation later that day<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> amid claims he became frustrated by a lack of transfer activity at the club.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Aston VillaEdit
On 12 October 2016, Bruce was appointed manager of Championship club Aston Villa.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In his second match in charge, Villa defeated Reading, the club's first win in 11 games and the first away win for 14 months.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He brought in Colin Calderwood as assistant manager from Brighton & Hove Albion and Stephen Clemence from old club Hull City as first-team coach.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 2017–18 season, Villa secured a play-off place and defeated Middlesbrough to reach the final,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but lost 1–0 to Fulham in the final and thus missed out on promotion to the Premier League.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 2 October 2018, Villa surrendered a two-goal lead, drawing 3–3 at home to bottom club Preston North End. One spectator threw a cabbage at Bruce and there were calls from home fans on the Holte End for Bruce to go.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The following day, he was sacked by Villa after a poor run of form.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Sheffield WednesdayEdit
In January 2019, Bruce was appointed manager of Championship club Sheffield Wednesday with effect from the start of the following month.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 27 January, his delay in taking up this appointment was criticised by Match of the Day pundits Danny Murphy and Ruud Gullit during a 3–0 FA Cup defeat away to Chelsea.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Bruce subsequently defended his decision, as he had had two operations since leaving Aston Villa and needed time to recuperate, as well as the need to recover from the death of both his parents in 2018.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
Newcastle UnitedEdit
BBC Sport reported in July 2019 that Bruce had resigned from his position at Wednesday,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> after he earlier admitted that he had held talks with Premier League Newcastle United over their managerial vacancy.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His appointment at Newcastle was confirmed on 17 July.<ref name="newcastle-appoint">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Sheffield Wednesday, however, soon filed a report to the Premier League alleging misconduct in his appointment,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref> stating that there were still outstanding legal issues with Bruce having resigned just 48 hours earlier, whilst also suspecting that confidential details of Bruce's contract were leaked making it impossible for him to remain at the club.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Newcastle United denied any wrongdoing and stated that they were confident no case could be escalated.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref> Reaction from the fans was mixed, with some feeling Bruce would not achieve the standard set by his predecessor Rafael Benítez, whilst his recent lack of Premier League football and management of rival club Sunderland proved controversial.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref> Bruce acknowledged Benítez's popularity, and stated he hoped the fans would not rush to judgement and give him time to prove himself.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Bruce soon made six signings,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> notably securing Joelinton from 1899 Hoffenheim for £40 million, breaking the club's transfer fee record previously set by the purchase of Miguel Almirón for £21 million six months earlier.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In his first season in charge, Newcastle were tipped for relegation by some pundits but finished 13th, as the campaign was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The following season, almost entirely played behind closed doors due to the ongoing pandemic, saw Bruce guide the club to 12th.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In October 2021, the club was bought for £300 million by a consortium led by the Saudi Arabian government's sovereign wealth fund.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> With the team close to the bottom of the Premier League, Bruce was widely expected to be dismissed from his job by the new owners, but remained in charge and was recognised by the League Managers Association as only the 34th manager in the modern era of English football to have taken charge for 1,000 competitive matches.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Newcastle lost that match 3–2 to Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park on 17 October 2021, and some Newcastle supporters called for Bruce to be removed from his post during and after the game.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Bruce left Newcastle by mutual consent three days later on 20 October 2021, after receiving a reported £8 million payout for the remainder of his contract.<ref name=nufcexit/> He had a 27.4% win percentage from 84 league games at Newcastle, the 9th best compared to previous Newcastle managers who had been in charge of at least 20 matches in the Premier League era.<ref name=nufcexit>Template:Cite news</ref>
West Bromwich AlbionEdit
On 3 February 2022, Bruce was appointed manager of EFL Championship club West Bromwich Albion, replacing Valérien Ismaël. Bruce signed an 18-month contract with West Brom who, at the time, were in sixth place in the Championship.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He left the role eight months later with the team 22nd in the division, their lowest league position for more than two decades.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
BlackpoolEdit
Bruce was appointed head coach of EFL League One team Blackpool on 3 September 2024, replacing Neil Critchley.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Following a perfect start to his time in charge, winning his first four matches, he was named EFL League One Manager of the Month for September 2024.<ref name="Sep24 MOTM"> {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Life outside footballEdit
Personal lifeEdit
Bruce has been married since February 1983 to Janet (née Smith),<ref name="express">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="irish">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Bruce (1994), p. 66.</ref> who is also from the Hexham area, and went to the same school as Bruce.<ref name="SB38" /> The couple have two children, Alex (born 1984) and Amy (born 1987).<ref name="express" /> Alex also became a professional footballer, and was signed by his father for Hull City in July 2012.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He had previously played under his father's management at Birmingham City, but left the club in 2006, in part due to accusations of nepotism levelled at his father.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Amy was linked romantically with Aston Villa player Lee Hendrie in tabloid newspaper stories in 2004, which provoked an angry response from her father, who described the reports as "lies", and claimed that journalists had gone so far as to contact his doctor and examine his household waste in an attempt to uncover gossip.<ref name="Lee2">Template:Cite news</ref> In September 2004, Bruce was involved in an altercation outside his home with two men who were attempting to steal his daughter's car. The affray left him with facial injuries but did not prevent him from travelling to a Premier League match the same day.<ref name="bruise">Template:Cite news</ref> After the incident one newspaper attempted to connect it with the allegations concerning Hendrie, leading Bruce to contemplate legal action.<ref name="Lee2" />
Other activitiesEdit
Bruce's autobiography, Heading for Victory, was published in 1994. In 1999, while manager of Huddersfield, he wrote a trio of novels: Striker!, Sweeper! and Defender!. The books centred on fictional football manager Steve Barnes, based on Bruce, who solved murder mysteries and thwarted terrorists. Bruce later expressed his embarrassment at the books, which have become sought-after collectables.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He intended to publish a new autobiography in late 2019 but the book was postponed indefinitely due to the deaths of his parents and his desire to concentrate on his job at Newcastle.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Playing statisticsEdit
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Gillingham | 1979–80<ref name="First season">Brown (2003), p. 89.</ref> | Third Division | 40 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 44 | 8 | ||
| 1980–81<ref>Brown (2003), p. 90.</ref> | Third Division | 41 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | — | — | 46 | 7 | |||
| 1981–82<ref>Brown (2003), p. 91.</ref> | Third Division | 45 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 3<ref group=lower-alpha>Appearances in Football League Group Cup</ref> | 1 | 55 | 8 | ||
| 1982–83<ref>Brown (2003), p. 92.</ref> | Third Division | 39 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 46 | 8 | |||
| 1983–84<ref>Brown (2003), p. 93.</ref> | Third Division | 40 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 46 | 7 | ||
| Total | 205 | 29 | 14 | 2 | 15 | 6 | — | 3 | 1 | 237 | 38 | |||
| Norwich City | 1984–85<ref>Eastwood and Davage (1986), p. 313.</ref> | First Division | 39 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 3 | — | — | 53 | 5 | ||
| 1985–86<ref>Eastwood and Davage (1986), p. 314.</ref> | Second Division | 42 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | — | 6<ref group=lower-alpha>Appearances in Football League Super Cup</ref> | 0 | 53 | 10 | ||
| 1986–87<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> | First Division | 41 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 4<ref group=lower-alpha>Appearances in Full Members' Cup</ref> | 0 | 52 | 3 | ||
| 1987–88<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> | First Division | 19 | 2 | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | 22 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 141 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 20 | 6 | — | 10 | 0 | 180 | 21 | |||
| Manchester United | 1987–88<ref name="all" /> | First Division | 21 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 24 | 2 | |||
| 1988–89<ref name="all" /> | First Division | 38 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 3<ref group=lower-alpha>Appearances in Football League Centenary Trophy</ref> | 1 | 51 | 5 | ||
| 1989–90<ref name="all" /> | First Division | 34 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 43 | 3 | |||
| 1990–91<ref name="all" /> | First Division | 31 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 8<ref group=lower-alpha>Appearances in European Cup Winners' Cup</ref> | 4 | 1<ref group=lower-alpha name=FACS>Appearance in FA Charity Shield</ref> | 0 | 50 | 19 | |
| 1991–92<ref name="all" /> | First Division | 37 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 5<ref group=lower-alpha>Four appearances in European Cup Winners' Cup, one in European Super Cup</ref> | 0 | — | 50 | 6 | ||
| 1992–93<ref name="all" /> | Premier League | 42 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2<ref group=lower-alpha name=UC>Appearances in UEFA Cup</ref> | 0 | — | 50 | 5 | ||
| 1993–94<ref name="all" /> | Premier League | 41 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 4<ref group=lower-alpha name=UCL>Appearances in UEFA Champions League</ref> | 2 | 1<ref group=lower-alpha name=FACS/> | 0 | 62 | 7 | |
| 1994–95<ref name="all" /> | Premier League | 35 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6<ref group=lower-alpha name=UCL/> | 0 | 1<ref group=lower-alpha name=FACS/> | 0 | 48 | 4 | |
| 1995–96<ref name="all" /> | Premier League | 30 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2<ref group=lower-alpha name=UC/> | 0 | — | 39 | 1 | ||
| Total | 309 | 36 | 41 | 3 | 34 | 6 | 27 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 417 | 52 | ||
| Birmingham City | 1996–97<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | First Division | 32 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 1 | ||
| 1997–98<ref>Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | First Division | 40 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 45 | 2 | |||
| Total | 72 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 84 | 3 | ||||
| Sheffield United | 1998–99<ref name="Games played by Steve Bruce in 1998/1999">Template:Soccerbase season</ref> | First Division | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 737 | 81 | 70 | 7 | 76 | 18 | 27 | 6 | 19 | 2 | 929 | 114 | ||
Managerial statisticsEdit
| Team | From | To | Record | Template:Abbr | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | Template:Abbr | ||||
| Sheffield United | 2 July 1998 | 17 May 1999 | <ref name="Managers: Steve Bruce"/> | |||||
| Huddersfield Town | 24 May 1999 | 16 October 2000 | <ref name="Managers: Steve Bruce"/> | |||||
| Wigan Athletic | 4 April 2001 | 29 May 2001 | <ref name="Managers: Steve Bruce"/> | |||||
| Crystal Palace | 31 May 2001 | 2 November 2001 | <ref name="Managers: Steve Bruce"/> | |||||
| Birmingham City | 12 December 2001 | 23 November 2007 | <ref name=BBCconfirmWigan/><ref>Template:ENFA</ref> | |||||
| Wigan Athletic | 26 November 2007 | 3 June 2009 | <ref name="Managers: Steve Bruce"/> | |||||
| Sunderland | 3 June 2009 | 30 November 2011 | <ref name="Managers: Steve Bruce"/> | |||||
| Hull City | 8 June 2012 | 22 July 2016 | <ref name="Managers: Steve Bruce"/><ref name="Steve Bruce appointed Hull City manager on three-year deal"/> | |||||
| Aston Villa | 12 October 2016 | 3 October 2018 | <ref name="Managers: Steve Bruce"/> | |||||
| Sheffield Wednesday | 1 February 2019 | 15 July 2019 | <ref name="Managers: Steve Bruce"/> | |||||
| Newcastle United | 17 July 2019 | 20 October 2021 | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | ||||
| West Bromwich Albion | 3 February 2022 | 10 October 2022 | <ref name="Managers: Steve Bruce"/> | |||||
| Blackpool | 3 September 2024 | Present | <ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | |||||
| Total | ||||||||
HonoursEdit
PlayerEdit
Norwich City
- Football League Cup: 1984–85<ref name="LC85" />
- Football League Second Division: 1985–86<ref name="2D" />
Manchester United
- Premier League: 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
|CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref> 1993–94, 1995–96<ref name="Yahoo">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Football League Cup: 1991–92<ref name="Yahoo" />
- FA Charity Shield: 1990 (shared),<ref name="Yahoo" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> 1993,<ref name="Yahoo" /> 1994<ref name="Yahoo" />
- European Cup Winners' Cup: 1990–91<ref name="CWC" />
- European Super Cup: 1991<ref name="Yahoo" />
Individual
- Premier League 10 Seasons Awards Domestic Team of the Decade<ref name=Telegraph15Apr03Elite>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
- PFA Team of the Year: Division Two (1985–86), Division Three (1982–83, 1983–84)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Gillingham Player of the Season: 1979–80,<ref name="SB57" /> 1981–82<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Norwich City Player of the Season: 1984–85<ref name=":0" />
- Birmingham City Player of the Season: 1997–98<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ManagerEdit
Birmingham City
- Football League Championship runner-up: 2006–07<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Hull City
- FA Cup runner-up: 2013–14<ref name="Arsenal 3-2 Hull City"/>
- Football League Championship runner-up: 2012–13<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Football League Championship play-offs: 2016<ref name="promoted"/>
Individual
- Premier League Manager of the Month: April 2021<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- EFL League One Manager of the Month: September 2024<ref name="Sep24 MOTM"/>
ReferencesEdit
Bibliography
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
- Template:Cite book
Footnotes Template:Reflist
External linksEdit
Template:Blackpool F.C. squad Template:EFL League One managers
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