Bruce has regrets at not taking Toon job a decade ago

An ‘old-school’ figure who, if he is asked a direct question by football journalists, will almost categorically come up with a straight answer.

The mind games can remain the domain of Mourinho, Wenger et al with the 52-year-old adhering to the maxim of former Liverpool manager, the late Joe Fagan, who when asked if he found dealing with the press a chore during his brief spell in charge in his sixties at Anfield, simply said: ‘No, I just tell them the truth.’

Ahead of today’s return to his home city club, Newcastle United, a team the Hull City chief passionately followed as a boy and the team his family – and wife’s family – still support, Bruce was a honest as ever in dealing with the expected ream of questions on the subject.

Including his infamous last visit there as a manager on a horrific Halloween in October 2010.

Just over a decade ago, in August 2002, Bruce was offered the chance of managing ‘his’ club, the equivalent of a lottery ticket for most of the football-daft Geordie nation, but turned it down out of loyalty to Birmingham City, with the ink having barely dried on a new long-term deal.

Inclding his current one, Bruce has managed three other clubs since and has led out a north-east side at St James’ Park. Not Newcastle, but Sunderland, crushed 5-1 on his last visit to the venue as a manager just under three years ago.

His path has been such that he now finds himself in East Yorkshire and fully happy and content with his lot.

Although when asked if he harboured some regrets at turning down his boyhood side 11 years ago, his answer was clear.

Bruce said: “Maybe, yes. You always think what could have been. But for a lot of us in football, there’s been decisions where you think ‘what could have been’ or if. I was very, very close after Sir Bobby (Robson) left. But at the time, I’d just signed a new deal with Birmingham and it was going to be difficult for me to leave when I said to Birmingham I’d stay.

“I’d committed myself and after that, I couldn’t go back on my word, so it didn’t happen. But being one of them, it’s a club you have a look out (at) because at the end of the day, I’m a Geordie and it’s the club I supported as a boy.”

Bruce’s memories of his last engagement at St James’ made for one of his longest days in the game, when he had to front up and carry the burden of his Sunderland side being embarassed in one of the most parochial derbies in world, let alone English, football.

It was a day which probably even tested the loyalty of his father Joe, a staunch Newcastle fan and other family members, split between supporting ‘our Steve’ and the Magpies.

With the visiting stripes being amber-and-black rather than red-and-white today, Bruce should be able to bank on getting a little bit extra support.

On who his father will be rooting for today, Bruce added: “I think he will support his son – I hope he does anyway!

“My wife and her side, all black and white. But we are both from Newcastle and as soon as I go up, I think their allegiance swings towards me. I hope so anyway, otherwise they won’t be getting a ticket!”

Hull famously triumphed 2-1 in their last league game on Tyneside in September 13, 2008 – an afternoon most remembered for home fans passionately venting their frustration following the departure of Kevin Keegan and calling for owner Mike Ashley and then executive director of football Dennis Wise to leave the club.

The presence of current director of football Joe Kinnear at the club is now causing consternation among many punters on Tyneside, but as ever, the lid will remain secured on the protests as long as results dictate.

After overcoming the ‘crisis’ of being thrashed 4-0 in their opening game at Manchester City – Alan Pardew’s side have turned things around with three successive wins, with the feast-or-famine bipolar world of north-east football such that Newcastle fans are currently making their way to the buffet car.

Bruce said: “I have obviously managed and grown up in the north-east and it’s like no other (area). It’s a principality...

“It’s a difficult place to mange, but it’s got an undercurrent due to the supporters, which is terrific.

“The north-east is always on the edge of crisis or euphoria; at the moment it seems to be just going along swimmingly.

“But one thing you’d never take away is the passion of the people. The football means so much to them.

“I went the other week and every Geordie deserves to be proud for Steve Harper’s testimonial. Where on earth in this day and age, do you get 52,000 to see a ‘has-beens’ game, no disrespect. It was quite remarkable. It showed their respect for Steve and what it meant to them.

“It’s quite unique and I hope that one day they can achieve something as the support is quite unbelievable week in, week out.”

While today means a lot to Bruce, it also does to another boyhood Toon fan in striker Danny Graham, not to mention his fellow striker Yannick Sagbo, back in the fold and keen to make a belated impression after being dismissed for a perceived headbutt during his home debut against Norwich City back on August 24.

Bruce admits to having a decision to make in how to play up front, with Sone Aluko likely to fill one of the attacking berths following an impressive start to the top-flight campaign.

On Sagbo, Bruce, whose side are seeking to follow up decent away-day showings at Chelsea and Manchester City with something more tangible, added: “What is done is done. We all make mistakes and he’s been punished through it and I don’t think he’ll do it again.

“Where everyone has settled into their careers here and all the players we have brought in have done fantastically well, he is the other side of that.

“He’s had a disappointing start to his Hull career after what he did and I will have to make a decision.”

[email protected]