Steve Bruce says he still wouldn't have swapped managing Newcastle for anything despite the abuse he suffered during his St. James' Park tenure. The former Toon boss has gone on record a number of times, lashing back at the stick he received during his time as head coach, but after turning the job down previously, said he wouldn't say no again.
Having recently called time on his managerial career, Bruce says managing the Magpies during the pandemic was among the most difficult part of his career and says his side missed the unbelievable crowd at St. James' Park.
Speaking on the Die For Three Points Podcast, Bruce said: "The two biggest club's have been Aston Villa and Newcastle which I thoroughly enjoyed, the challenge of Newcastle for all the abuse that was thrown my way, I still wouldn't have swapped it. I still wouldn't have not taken it, I had to take it.
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"I turned it down, before Graeme Souness took it when Bobby Robson got the sack and stayed loyal to Birmingham. I always maybe regretted that.
"So, to get the opportunity to say I've done it for two-and-a-half years, it wasn't easy and during the pandemic was difficult. But, they're two great clubs, big clubs and I'm glad I've done it. They were both difficult in their own way mind."
Football, like the rest of life, came to a halt during the pandemic with the country shutting down, barring key workers. However, it was later given the green light to restart in a plan to lift the nation's mood.
"I have to say it was awful," Bruce added. "When you look back on it, how difficult it was and let's be fair, we were probably the only ones working and it kept the nation going. "There was a game every night and we'd watch a game. "
Host Neil Warnock said he felt responsible to make people laugh and keep them going during his press conferences, feeling the weight of Teesside on his shoulders. Bruce agreed and said: "We were responsible because we gave them something to watch. There was probably a Premier League game on every other day wasn't there?
"It was difficult times, especially managing Newcastle because one of the big things they have is the crowd. What a magnificent crowd they are. Even now, when the good times are rolling with them, it's fantastic to see that they're back in full roar. There's not a better sight than when they're in full support, they're unbelievable."
When asked about the praise for supporters, even after receiving some abuse, Bruce said: "I'm from there and I'm a Geordie. When I got the job, I knew it was going to be difficult and I could have quite easily said no, I don't fancy that, it's too difficult a job.
"But, I did have people like Graeme Souness and Kenny Dalglish, people like that ringing me to say 'Do you know what you're doing, are you ready for it?' I mean Graeme, for example, Souness said to me 'Steve, I've managed in Liverpool, I've managed in Glasgow, I've even managed in Turkey where it gets boisterous and a bit noisy, but there's nothing quite like what you're going to undertake.'
"When you get people like that, you understand, aye aye, I know what I'm going in to. Experienced helped me, but look, I'm totally disappointed with the way it finished of course."
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