Former Birmingham boss Bruce will take his new club Aston Villa to St Andrew’s this weekend.
Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce
Former Birmingham City man Paul Devlin has predicted that Steve Bruce will get a frosty reception when he takes his Aston Villa side to St Andrew’s this weekend, the Birmingham Mail reports.
The 55-year-old was recently appointed as the Villains’ new boss, and his fourth game in charge will see them travel to face their Midlands rivals.
Bruce, during his spell at Birmingham
And as well as the bragging rights that are on offer, the game has been attracting plenty of attention due to Bruce’s previous allegiances to Birmingham.
He spent nearly six years with the Blues before leaving in 2007, and while Devlin – who played under Bruce between 2002 and 2003 – believes that his former boss deserves respect, he expects a little more hostility from the home fans.
Paul Devlin, during his time with Birmingham City
“I associate my best times in football with Steve Bruce,” he said, as reported by the Mail.
“I think the world of the bloke and think he will do a fantastic job at Villa – he is definitely the right man for that job.
“I think he will get a frosty reception but nothing can take away the fantastic part he played in Blues’ history.
In fairness to Bruce, and as Devlin points out, he achieved a lot during his time at Birmingham. The club won promotion to the Premier League on two occasions under his leadership.
And having left the side nearly a decade ago, arguably enough time has elapsed for Bruce’s decision to take over at Aston Villa to be forgiven by Birmingham supporters, even if they still do not show their gratitude when the two teams meet on Sunday.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
