Bruce is aiming to earn new deal with the Tigers

As a young defender taking his first steps with Birmingham City, he made three starts and three appearances from the bench in 2006.

Then came a step down to the Championship and it was seven long years – plus five transfers – before Bruce was able to sample the rarefied atmosphere of the top flight once again.

He quickly made up for lost time by featuring in more than half of Hull City’s league games last season and did so well that several clubs showed interest last summer.

Among those were Leeds United and Blackburn Rovers, but Bruce rebuffed all interest to stay at the KC Stadium.

“There were offers (to leave) but I wanted to stay,” said the 30-year-old, fresh from helping the Tigers to a goalless draw at Liverpool.

“I had worked a long time to get into the Premier League and I didn’t want to give it up.

“I realise a lot of people out there will say, ‘He’s only in the Premier League because of his dad’. But I have a thick skin when it comes to comments like that.

“Plus, I like to think those who have watched me play will say I am there on merit and can hold my own.

“There is something special building here, too, and you don’t walk away from that. I have worked hard all my life to get here and I am not going to give that up by going back to the Championship.

“I have had to be patient and I had to wait for a chance. But that is the same for all Premier League players. As for the future, I only have a few months left on my contract but would love to stay. We will have to wait and see. I don’t know when anything might happen. I will just wait to see if I merit a new deal. It is out of my hands.

“But I do want to stay here. When the time is right and I think I am not pulling my weight here then, of course, I will be the first to walk away.

“At the moment, though, I am happy at Hull. I feel I have played the best football of my career here. We have been successful and I don’t see any reason why I should leave.”

If Bruce, who shackled Mario Balotelli admirably at Anfield on Saturday, can maintain that standard of performance then chances are a new contract may well be heading his way in the new year.

It would represent another impressive step forward in a career that, during his two years at 
Elland Road, seemed in danger of going stale.

In his first season with Leeds in 2010-11, Bruce made 21 Championship appearances. His second year, however, was a different story with Simon Grayson freezing out a defender who had to move on loan to Huddersfield Town at one stage in an attempt to play regularly.

Injuries at United soon brought Bruce back, though, and come the end of that season it seemed his career was at a crossroads.

One offer to join LA Galaxy caught the eye, but it was father Steve, newly-appointed at the KC, who got him to sign a two-year deal in the East Riding. Promotion followed within a year, while last term brought not only regular Premier League football but also an appearance in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

“It is unbelievable to think how far we have come,” said Bruce junior.

“The supporters must agree with that. Things have changed so much since I first came here.

“I am proud to think I have played a little part in helping the club move forward. And now it is nice to be among these great players that Hull City has.

“The squad strength is incredible now, which is why I have had to be patient. Playing at Anfield (his first league start since the first day of the season) was great.

“Unfortunately, I got injured in the first game of the season and that meant I had to be patient.

“I had to wait for my chance, but coming back in a clean sheet at Anfield was very pleasing.

“If I can keep playing like I did at Liverpool then, hopefully, I can keep the shirt on merit.”

Bruce’s duel with Balotelli, who had been heavily criticised in the build-up for swapping shirts at half-time of Liverpool’s Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, was a key factor in Hull claiming a point.

Asked, however, if he had been tempted to ask Balotelli for his shirt at half-time on Saturday as a joke, Bruce replied: “ I was close to saying something at half-time on the steps. Something like, ‘For heaven’s sake, keep your shirt on’.

“But I didn’t in the end. I didn’t want to wind him up. He’s a good player and you don’t want to give him extra motivation.

“He’s actually a decent fella. Though it wasn’t a penalty (when Balotelli went down in the 88th minute). I didn’t make any contact with him. I have seen it on the TV since and it wasn’t a penalty.

“But I’ll admit I was worried, at the time. Things like that can go against you in front of the Kop but, fair play to the referee, he stayed strong.”