Okay, this was done quickly so may be a bit holey in places.
Steve Bruce:
1998 onwards. Final season positions.
Sheffield United, 8th (2nd tier)
Huddersfield, 8th (2nd tier)
Crystal Palace, 19th (2nd tier). Left Palace to go to Birmingham with a 61% win ratio
Birmingham, 5th (promoted) (2nd tier)
Birmingham (1st tier) - 13, 12, 10, 18 (relegated)
Birmingham 2nd (promoted) (2nd tier)
Wigan (1st tier) 14th
Wigan (1st tier) 11th
Wigan (1st tier) 14th
Sunderland (1st tier) 13th
Sunderland (1st tier) 10th
Okay, looking at that record, he hasn't done that bad to be fair. No, he isn't Alec Ferguson, but I think any other none top 5 manager would be proud of that.
If he stays true to form, he could get us promoted and keep us mid-table in the PL for 3 or 4 years. Umm.. yeah, I'd take that.
He is a top class manager and we are lucky to have him. End.of.story.
Keeping Wigan in the PL is an achievement for any manager so 3 years running is excellent, did very well at Brum, less so Slumberland but he's always going to be a Geordie and theres always a club you don't belong..
I think what Bruce has is an eye for a good player, MT & FC!
I said previously when all the Bruce speculation kicked off, how I'm close to a couple of Wigan season ticket holders and they were stunned that Martinez was being linked to Liverpool. They said, and I quote, "What's he done? We were better under Bruce and he spent less money".
I genuinely think, maybe other than Mad Mick, he's as good as we could have hoped for.
People go on about how much he has spent... but they fail to account for the fact that he's made a hell of a lot as well, and at clubs like Sunderland, they'd just got the big money backers in, and he was as good as told to write his own cheques.
So he's a Bruce, and a Boss? What's the odds of that?
Oh he plays **** music too, I never understood his mass fan base, he cant sing for ****. Stupid americans.