Bruce move close and Hillsborough sale probed
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY are under attack from two angles, with Newcastle confident of snatching their manager Steve Bruce and football’s authorities investigating the sale of Hillsborough to owner Dejphon Chansiri in order to avoid a points deduction. Bruce has been identified by Newcastle owner Mike Ashley as the man to succeed Rafa Benitez after his failed bid to lure Sam Allardyce back for a second spell on Tyneside. Talks between all parties were progressing last night, with Ashley increasingly confident of getting his man. Wednesday, having returned this week from a training camp in Portugal, are keenly aware of the emotional appeal for 58-year-old Bruce — a Geordie who has never made a secret of his desire to one day manage his hometown club. The fact that he was not first choice has not dampened Bruce’s desire to take the job. He has been at Hillsborough for less than six months but has found it hard to push through some of his demands behind the scenes when operating under transfer restrictions from the EFL (Football League). The restrictions could be lifted soon because yesterday, more than two months after the EFL deadline, Wednesday finally filed their accounts for the year ending July 2018. These confirmed that they — like Derby and Aston Villa — had sold the stadium to their owner in order to avoid losing points for overspending on the profit and sustainability rules. Hillsborough was sold for a profit of £38million — with the stadium thought to be valued at around £60m. It keeps Wednesday within the approved overspend of £39m over three years, despite a soaring wage bill.