‘DAD’S DONE TOON PROUD’
ALEX BRUCE smiles at the memory of his grandad refusing every request to visit the Stadium of Light when dad Steve Bruce was boss of Sunderland.
Alex recalled: “My gran went to every game because to her it didn’t matter who dad was managing, but my grandad was quite stuck in his ways.
“Grandad was black and white, Newcastle United, through and through. He never went once to Sunderland.”
It’s why there is a tinge of sadness that neither grandad Joe nor grandma Sheenagh are around to witness Steve’s impressive first season in charge of the Toon.
Steve’s parents died within three months of each other two years ago when he was manager of Aston Villa.
“It was a really tough time for my dad that year and it was quite ironic that the following year he was appointed manager of Newcastle,” said Bruce Jnr (above).
“My gran had a stroke. A huge shock. Within a couple of days of going into hospital, we had tell grandad that she wouldn’t be returning home. He kind of gave up and died in his sleep that night.
“They would have been the proudest parents in the world seeing dad manage his home-town club.”
An accomplished defender, Alex played under father Steve at Birmingham and Hull. He has seen, at first hand, the vitriol which can come a manager’s way. Bruce said: “As his son, I’ve had to have a thick skin. In the end, the Geordie thing – dad admitting that he had supported Newcastle as a boy – did for him when the Sunderland results took a turn for the worse.
“It was, ‘You fat Geordie b ***** d, get out of our club’ ringing around the stadium. I think he knew then it was time to go!
“When Newcastle came calling, the easiest thing was to say, ‘Forget it, I’m not going to take it with all the s**t I’ll get’.
“But dad regretted not taking it years ago when it was offered. He wasn’t going to knock back a second chance.”