“They rejected me as a player. Newcastle said I wasn't going to be big or strong enough to make the grade, Burnley said the same. Most people said the same to be fair.”

English football manager and former player

Stephen Roger Bruce is an English football manager and former player. Born in 1960, he spent twenty years as a centre-back before moving into management, and he is best known for a long career in English football. Bruce has worked as a manager and head coach across the game, most recently leading Blackpool in EFL League One. His career is rooted in professional football on both sides of the touchline, first as a defender and later in coaching roles.