PEACE TALKS TO END RIFT

his disgruntled players to assemble after a day off yesterday – their third of the week - and will address dissent in the ranks, which came to a head with training ground bust-up between him and Matt Ritchie.

Bruce has patched up the incident with Ritchie, despite being branded a “coward” by the winger, but tension and dissatisfaction remain.

Newcastle play fellow relegation rivals West Brom on Sunday when Bruce will need to add to just two wins in 17 games to avoid the intervention of owner Mike Ashley, who has been reluctant to sack him.

Bruce will face questions from the media today for the first time since his squad meltdown and will insist the vast majority of players still support him.

However with a Geordie fan base largely against Bruce, and crowds likely to be back before the end of the season, he is walking a tightrope and his time at St James’ Park could be coming to an end.

Ritchie was angered by Bruce seeming to blame him for Wolves’ equaliser in Saturday’s 1-1 draw.

Striker Joelinton (above) was also criticised by Bruce after the game.

1965: Ernie Terrell beat Eddie Machen to win the WBA heavyweight title. Cassius Clay, later Muhammad Ali, had won the title the previous year, but he refused a rematch with Sonny Liston and was stripped of the belt.

1993: David Sullivan, owner of the Sunday Sport and Daily Sport newspapers, was named as the new owner of Birmingham City.

2000: Stan Collymore hit a hat-trick on his home debut for Leicester City in their 5-2 thrashing of Sunderland. 2007: Heavyweight spinner Dwayne Leverock stunned England’s middle order with two wickets for Bermuda in a World Cup warm-up match.

2008: Fernando Torres became the first Liverpool player since Jack Balmer in 1946 to score hat-tricks in consecutive games at Anfield as the Reds beat West Ham 4-0. He had also put three goals past Middlesbrough.