A Brucie bonus

STEVE BRUCE was debating when to let Newcastle players have a Christmas party after the busy festive period of games.

Sometime in January, he mooted. When a cynical observer of the Geordie club suggested that FA Cup fourth round weekend is usually free, Bruce knew that the club’s cup record had become a joke.

Next weekend Newcastle have been set up as the fall-guys of round three, with a tricky Saturday lunchtime trip to League One Rochdale.

In seven of the last 13 seasons Newcastle have surrendered in the FA Cup at the first attempt. In the other six seasons they’ve gone out in the fourth round.

Amazingly it was official Mike Ashley club policy not to bother too much about the FA Cup. Fan anger eventually caused a change and they’re now supposed to give it a go.

In the past decade new managers have arrived and quickly vowed to end the cup misery on Tyneside.

But be it Alan Pardew, Steve Mcclaren or even Rafa Benitez, when the crunch comes, the cup has been deemed secondary to top-flight survival, or winning promotion.

In short Newcastle bosses have played to the Geordie clamour for a cup run with fine supportive words, and let them down by fielding weakened teams and overseeing pathetic performances.

Losing to Rochdale would be on a par with defeat back in 2011, to Stevenage, who were 73 places below.

Recreating the cup form that got them to a semi-final in 2005, and quarter-final the year after, must be high on Bruce’s agenda. United’s last final appearance was in 1999.

Bruce (above) has the luxury of breathing space in the league that will allow him to focus on cup football.

Take it seriously and it’d be another step towards Bruce building a relationship with Toon fans.