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Steve Bruce
Personal information
Full name Stephen Roger Bruce
Date of birth (1960-12-31) 31 December 1960 (age 63)
Place of birth Corbridge, Northumberland, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
1977–1979 Gillingham
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1984 Gillingham 205 (29)
1984–1987 Norwich City 141 (14)
1987–1996 Manchester United 309 (36)
1996–1998 Birmingham City 72 (2)
1998–1999 Sheffield United 10 (0)
Total 737 (81)
International career
1979–1980 England Youth 8 (0)
1987 England B 1 (0)
Managerial career
1998–1999 Sheffield United
1999–2000 Huddersfield Town
2001 Wigan Athletic
2001 Crystal Palace
2001–2007 Birmingham City
2007–2009 Wigan Athletic
2009–2011 Sunderland
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Stephen Roger "Steve" Bruce (born 31 December 1960) is an English football manager and former player. Born in Corbridge, Northumberland, he was a promising schoolboy footballer but was rejected by a number of professional clubs. He was on the verge of quitting the game altogether when he was offered a trial with Gillingham. Bruce was offered an apprenticeship and went on to play more than 200 games for the club before joining Norwich City in 1984.

In 1987, he moved to Manchester United, with whom he achieved great success, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, Football League Cup and European Cup Winner's Cup. He also became the first English player of the twentieth 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.

Early life

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Bruce was born in Corbridge in Northumberland, the elder of two sons of Joe and Sheenagh Bruce.[1] Although his father was a local, his mother had been born in Bangor in Northern Ireland.[2][3] The family lived in Daisy Hill near Wallsend,[4] and Bruce attended Benfield School.[5]

Bruce, a boyhood fan of Newcastle United, claims to have 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."[6] Like a number of other future professionals from the area, he played football for Wallsend Boys Club.[6] He was also selected for the Newcastle Schools representative team, and at the age of 13 was among a group of players from the team selected to serve as ball boys at the 1974 Football League Cup final at Wembley Stadium.[7]

Having been turned down by a number of 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.[8] He travelled down to Kent with another player from the Wallsend club, Peter Beardsley, but although Gillingham signed Bruce as an apprentice, they turned Beardsley away.[9] 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 "Buster" Collins, whom Bruce cites as the single biggest influence on his career.[9][10]

Career

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Early managerial career

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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.[11] He also 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 failing to return 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, it was later declared void and replayed.[12][13] 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.[14] He contemplated leaving football for a job in television but was persuaded by Huddersfield Town owner Barry Rubery to become the club's manager.[15]

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,[16] but lost form and failed to reach the play-offs.[17] The team continued to struggle at the start of the 2000–01 season, gaining just six points from eleven matches, and Bruce was sacked in October 2000.[18] He then became involved in a dispute with Rubery, who accused him of "wasting" £3m on players and having "an ego to feed".[19] Although he was linked with the manager's job at Queens Park Rangers,[20] Bruce remained out of the game until he was appointed manager of Wigan Athletic in April 2001.[21] The team reached the Second Division play-offs but lost in the semi-finals,[22] 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.[23]

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 the club had last held in the 1997–98 season,[24] 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.[25][26] By now he had acquired a reputation as a manager who rarely held down a job for a significant length of time.[24]

Birmingham City

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Upon his arrival, the "Blues" were in a mid-table position in the First Division,[27] but a lengthy unbeaten run saw the team qualify for the play-offs.[28] 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.[29] 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.[30]

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.[31] Despite this disappointment, Bruce signed a new contract in June 2004 designed to keep him at St Andrew's for a further five years,[32] 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,[33] 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.[34] Three years later Birmingham director David Sullivan publicly stated that the club had "priced Steve out of a move to Newcastle" and gave the level of compensation which would have been involved as £7 million.[35] 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.[36]

Following the sacking of Souness as Newcastle manager in February 2006, Bruce was again linked with the job,[37] which ultimately went to Glenn Roeder.[38] 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.[39] Some supporters of the club began to call for his resignation, but Bruce insisted that he would fight on as manager.[40] 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,[41] but 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.[42]

Although Bruce had the largest transfer budget in the division made available to him,[43] Birmingham made a slow start to the 2006–07 season in the Football League 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.[44][45] Bruce publicly accepted responsibility for the team's poor run and admitted that he feared for his job,[46] but the team responded with a 1–0 victory over Derby County,[47] and then recorded a further five consecutive league victories to be joint leaders of the league table by late November.[48][49] 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."[50]

Wigan Athletic

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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.[51] In October 2007, Bolton Wanderers were refused permission to speak to him about their managerial vacancy.[52] Later that month, Bruce and Yeung held a meeting which reportedly had positive results.[53] However, Bruce later claimed that Birmingham's then Managing Director Karren Brady had "shafted" him on a new contract with the club,[54] and when Wigan Athletic requested permission to speak to Bruce about their managerial vacancy, he was receptive to their approach.[55] As required under the terms of his contract, Wigan agreed to pay Birmingham compensation for the loss of his services of around £3m,[56] and they were then allowed to speak to him. On 19 November, Wigan announced the signing of Bruce for a second time.[57]

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.[58][59] On 23 November 2007, however, Wigan announced that Bruce had now signed his contract and would officially rejoin the Latics.[60] His first game in charge was a 1–1 home draw with Manchester City on 1 December 2007.[61] 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.[62][63] In September 2008, Bruce was once again linked with the manager's job at Newcastle United following the departure of Kevin Keegan.[64]

Bruce led Wigan to an 11th-place finish in the 2008–09 season, despite the loss of midfielder Wilson Palacios to Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window.[65]

Sunderland

[edit]

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.[66] Bruce was confirmed as the new manager of Sunderland on 3 June after signing a three-year contract.[67] 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.[68] In his first season at Sunderland, despite a run of fourteen games without a win, Bruce led the Black Cats to a thirteenth place finish in the Premier League.[69] In February 2011 Bruce signed an extension to his contract keeping him at Sunderland until 2014. Bruce was dismissed as manager on 30 November 2011, with Sunderland in 16th position following a poor run of form culminating with a 2–1 loss to bottom club Wigan Athletic four days earlier.[70]

Managerial statistics

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Team From To Record
Games Won Drawn Lost Win %
Sheffield United 2 July 1998 17 May 1999 55 22 15 18 040.00
Huddersfield Town 24 May 1999 16 October 2000 66 25 16 25 037.88
Wigan Athletic 4 April 2001 29 May 2001 8 3 2 3 037.50
Crystal Palace 31 May 2001 2 November 2001 18 11 2 5 061.11
Birmingham City 12 December 2001 19 November 2007 270 100 70 100 037.04
Wigan Athletic 26 November 2007 3 June 2009 68 23 17 28 033.82
Sunderland 3 June 2009 30 November 2011 98 29 28 41 029.59
Total 583 213 150 220 036.54
As of 30 November 2011[71]

Honours

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Playing

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Club

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Norwich City
Manchester United

Individual

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Manager

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Club

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Birmingham City

Personal life

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Bruce has been married since February 1983 to Janet (née Smith),[72][73][74] who is also from the Hexham area, and went to the same school as Bruce.[5] The couple have two children, Alex (born 1984) and Amy (born 1987).[72] Alex is also a footballer, who plays for Leeds United.[75][76] He 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.[77] 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.[78][79] 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.[80] After the incident one newspaper attempted to connect it with the allegations concerning Hendrie, leading Bruce to contemplate legal action.[79]

References

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  1. ^ Bruce, Steve (1994). Heading for Victory: An Autobiography. Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd. p. 33. ISBN 0-7475-1780-8. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  2. ^ Ian Parkes (2006-02-23). "Blues defender Bruce opts for green shirt of Ireland". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  3. ^ Derek Davis (2007-09-04). "Bruce in the middle". Evening Star. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  4. ^ Bruce, Steve. Heading for Victory: An Autobiography. p. 34.
  5. ^ a b Bruce, Steve. Heading for Victory: An Autobiography. p. 38.
  6. ^ a b "Tyne Travellers: Part I". Manchester United F.C. 2006-10-03. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  7. ^ Bruce, Steve. Heading for Victory: An Autobiography. p. 74.
  8. ^ Bruce, Steve. Heading for Victory: An Autobiography. pp. 39–40.
  9. ^ a b Haydn Parry. "Past Players: Steve Bruce". Gillingham F.C. Archived from the original on 2007-05-03. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
  10. ^ Patrick Barclay (2004-03-06). "Adams and Bruce were Buster's premier pupils". Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  11. ^ "England 1998/99". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 1999-12-20. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
  12. ^ Russell Kempson (1999-02-15). "'The goal was an accident. I am sorry' – Football". The Times. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
  13. ^ Matt Barlow (1999-02-23). "Fifa Green Light Clears Blades For Rematch". Birmingham Post. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  14. ^ Alan Nixon (2001-05-30). "Football: Bruce walks out of Wigan for Palace". The Independent. London. Retrieved 2008-03-03.
  15. ^ Brian McNally (1999-12-05). "Football: Bruce out on the town: Steve has high hopes at Huddersfield". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  16. ^ Christopher Irvine (1999-11-27). "Grey days serve to inspire Bruce – Football Saturday". The Times. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  17. ^ Nick Szczepanik (2000-05-08). "Bruce reflects after Fulham give taste of things to come – Football". The Times. Retrieved 2008-09-12.
  18. ^ "Bruce sacked by Huddersfield". London: BBC Sport. 2000-10-16. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
  19. ^ "Bruce accused of 'wasting' £3m". London: BBC Sport. 2001-03-06. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  20. ^ "QPR suffer Bruce snub". London: BBC Sport. 2001-02-21. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  21. ^ "Wigan appoint Bruce". London: BBC Sport. 2001-04-04. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
  22. ^ "Whelan hits out at Bruce departure". London: BBC Sport. 2001-05-31. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  23. ^ "Bruce takes up Palace post". London: BBC Sport. 2001-05-31. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
  24. ^ a b "A man in a hurry". London: BBC Sport. 2001-11-02. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
  25. ^ "Birmingham unveil Bruce". London: BBC Sport. 2001-12-12. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
  26. ^ "Bruce eyes promotion". London: BBC Sport. 2001-12-12. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  27. ^ "Former Blues: Jeff Kenna". Birmingham City F.C. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
  28. ^ "Bruce feels true Blue". London: BBC Sport. 2002-05-08. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  29. ^ Fifield, Dominic (2002-05-13). "Birmingham spot on to deny the Canaries". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2010-09-17.
  30. ^ Dale Johnson (2003-08-09). "Birmingham Season Guide". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  31. ^ "Taylor hunts European spot". London: BBC Sport. 2004-07-12. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  32. ^ Tim Rich (2004-06-30). "Football: Newcastle set to sign Milner as Bruce opts to stay at City". The Independent. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  33. ^ Rob Stewart (2004-09-02). "Bruce the target as Venables 'shunned'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  34. ^ Jason Burt (2004-09-01). "Football: Newcastle scramble to find Robson replacement". The Independent. London. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  35. ^ Neil Moxley, Peter Ferguson (2007-11-20). "Sullivan reveals why he let Bruce leave Birmingham". Daily Mail. London. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  36. ^ Phil McNulty (2005-05-17). "Premiership review season 2004/5". London: BBC Sport. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  37. ^ "Newcastle sack Souness". The Guardian. London. 2006-02-02. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  38. ^ "Roeder named as Newcastle manager". London: BBC Sport. 2006-05-16. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  39. ^ "Birmingham 0–7 Liverpool". London: BBC Sport. 2006-03-21. Retrieved 2008-02-21.
  40. ^ "Bruce vows to carry on as manager". London: BBC Sport. 2006-03-22. Retrieved 2008-02-21.
  41. ^ "Birmingham 1–0 Bolton". London: BBC Sport. 2006-04-04. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  42. ^ "Birmingham and Baggies relegated". London: BBC Sport. 2006-04-29. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
  43. ^ "Birmingham issue finance warning". London: BBC Sport. 2007-05-23. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
  44. ^ Colin Tattum (2008-04-11). "David Gold: I've lost a friend in Steve Bruce". Birmingham Post. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  45. ^ Colin Tattum (2006-10-17). "Blues 0 Norwich 1". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
  46. ^ Lee Reynolds (2006-10-18). "Birmingham 0–1 Norwich". The Mirror. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  47. ^ Mike Baker (2006-10-23). "Bruce wins the latest battle in Birmingham's uncivil war". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  48. ^ David Instone (2006-11-27). "Burnley 1 Birmingham City 2: Bendtner's guile brings best out of Birmingham". The Independent. London. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  49. ^ "Birmingham 2006/2007 results and fixtures". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  50. ^ "Birmingham & Sunderland promoted". London: BBC Sport. 2007-04-29. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  51. ^ "Bruce fears for Birmingham future". London: BBC Sport. 2007-10-04. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
  52. ^ "Steve Bruce emerges as Bolton Wanderers target". The Times. London. 2007-10-18. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
  53. ^ "Yeung moves to calm Bruce fears". London: BBC Sport. 2007-10-29. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
  54. ^ "Bruce fires back at Karren Bradey". The Chronicle. 2009-10-26. Retrieved 2009-10-28.
  55. ^ Stuart James (2007-11-14). "Birmingham in a flux as Bruce heads for Wigan". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  56. ^ "Bruce set to join Wigan Athletic". London: BBC Sport. 2007-11-18. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
  57. ^ "Bruce leaves Birmingham for Wigan". London: BBC Sport. 2007-11-19. Retrieved 2007-11-19.
  58. ^ "Bruce's Wigan move hit by hold-up". London: BBC Sport. 2007-11-21. Retrieved 2007-11-21.
  59. ^ Andy Hunter and Stuart James (2007-11-22). "Bruce's move to Wigan held up over image-rights dispute". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
  60. ^ "Bruce confirmed as Wigan manager". London: BBC Sport. 2007-11-23. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
  61. ^ MacKay, Duncan (2007-12-02). "Bruce is buoyed by Wigan's fightback". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  62. ^ David Lacey (2008-05-05). "Bruce kisses his own feat in guiding Wigan to safety". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  63. ^ "Wigan 2007/2008 results and fixtures". Soccerbase. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  64. ^ "Bruce back in race for hotseat". Lancashire Evening Post. 2008-09-26. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
  65. ^ "Tottenham tie up Wilson Palacios deal; Steve Bruce bemoans loss of "right arm"". Daily Mirror. 2009-01-16. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  66. ^ "Bruce cleared to meet Sunderland". London: BBC Sport. 2009-05-27. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  67. ^ "Bruce named as Sunderland manager". London: BBC Sport. 2009-06-03. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  68. ^ "Sunderland confirm appointment of Steve Bruce as manager". The Times. London. 2009-06-03. Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  69. ^ "Sunderland review". Sky Sports. 2010-05-13. Retrieved 2010-05-23.
  70. ^ "Black Cats sack Bruce". Sky Sports. 2011-11-30. Retrieved 2012-02-13.
  71. ^ "Steve Bruce's managerial career". Soccerbase. Racing Post. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  72. ^ a b Steve Millar (2007-05-06). "Fan's stick made Bruce a pig". Daily Express. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
  73. ^ John Curtis (2003-02-24). "Morrison seals it for Brummies". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2007-09-27. ...it's a nice way for me to celebrate my 20th wedding anniversary
  74. ^ Bruce, Steve. Heading for Victory: An Autobiography. p. 66.
  75. ^ "Alex Bruce". Ipswich Town F.C. Retrieved 2007-09-26.
  76. ^ "Leeds clinch Bruce deal". Sky Sports. 30 July 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  77. ^ "Bruce Jnr heads for fresh fields". Birmingham Post. 2006-08-03. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
  78. ^ Andrew Parker (2004-10-13). "It's a rat-trick for Lee". The Sun. London. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  79. ^ a b Colin Tattum (2004-10-16). "Bruce in rage over "lies"". Birmingham Evening Mail. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  80. ^ Andy Gardner (2004-09-26). "Steve Bruise". Sunday Mirror. Retrieved 2007-09-27.
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