EXCLUSIVE
Steve Bruce admits he has regrets over how he left Manchester United in 1996 and actually thinks Sir Alex Ferguson got things right.
Bruce had been a fantastic servant for United for nearly a decade, making more than 400 appearances and winning several trophies, including the inaugural Premier League trophy after the breakaway from the First Division.
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However, he left the club just days after being omitted from the 1996 FA Cup final team that beat Liverpool 1-0.
His exit has always been a controversial one and Roy Keane, who later captained the club, admitted he did not like the way Ferguson treated Bruce, and Bryan Robson.
Speaking to Off The Ball, Keane said: “I was at the club when Bryan Robson left, I was at the club when Steve Bruce left, two brilliant servants for Man United and I didn’t like the way they were treated at the end.
“People talk about Ferguson’s man management, don’t be kidded on by all of it.
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“Ferguson came out of it after and said he always did what was best for Manchester United - nonsense!”
Bruce, who was signed by Ferguson from Norwich in 1987, harbours no ill feeling towards his former boss and opened up on his regrets.
He told talkSPORT during an appearance on White and Jordan: “The one regret in all my time was leaving Man United, I left in a bit of a huff because I didn’t get picked for the cup final.
“It was Sir Alex’s way of easing me out the door. Looking back on it now, I hated it at the time but I fully understand it.
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“I was 36, I wasn’t injured and didn’t get back in the team for the cup when I thought I should have. I left within two or three days, but can fully understand it from afar now.
“I didn’t want to sit on the bench or be a squad player any more. I made that pretty clear to the manager himself. I left within two or three days and I left under a bit of a cloud.
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“My contract had finished, but that took me over the edge that I didn’t play in the 1996 cup final. Man United won 1-0 and Eric Cantona scored in the last minute, nobody gives a stuff if I played in it. Man United won.
“The manager made the right call and had done the same thing with Bryan Robson a few years before that. It was his way of telling you quietly that your time was up.”
He added: “The way the game evolved, maybe I should have become a squad player. I was 36 and still the captain.
“It was difficult for me to get my head around. I thought I’d been playing week-in-week out and here’s a game I’m not involved in, that’s going to tell me something.
“I don’t think I could take it personally not being involved. When the big games come around I wanted to be involved.
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“He only left me out once in 10 years and that’s when we were playing Barcelona at home. I questioned him on that too, by the way, and he played me in the replay. I made a difference as we lost 4-0 in that.”
Bruce still looks back on his time at Man United fondly and is still in contact with Ferguson.
He added: “I’ve been in it [football] for 40 years and 10 of those were at Manchester United. It grabs a hold of you, it’s such an iconic football club.
“To be part of it, play over 400 games and win a few trophies along the way, was the highlight.
“With Sir Alex, I still have conversations with him. I haven’t seen him for a while, he’s been all over the place.
“I can always pick up the phone to him, especially when I was in management. He was instrumental in me taking a job to start with and was always someone you could pick up the phone to.”
After his nine-year career came to an end, Bruce joined Birmingham, arriving as a defender who had won three FA Cups, three Premier League titles, the League Cup, Cup Winners Cup and Super Cup.
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He joined Sheffield United in 1998 and later managed the Blades before returning to Birmingham in 2001 as manager where he remained until 2007.
His most recent job was at West Brom having also taken the reins at Sunderland, Wigan, Hull, Aston Villa and Newcastle.