Sheffield Wednesday: Newcastle, West Brom developments will increase Steve Bruce regret - View | OneFootball

Steve Bruce had a brief spell as manager of Sheffield Wednesday in 2019 before departing for Newcastle United.

Sheffield Wednesday will be hoping for a much-improved campaign in the Championship this season.

The Owls looked destined to make an immediate return to League One last season after a disastrous start to the campaign, but they achieved safety following a remarkable turnaround under Danny Rohl.

Rohl signed a new long-term contract in May, and it was a busy summer for Wednesday with 11 new signings arriving at Hillsborough, providing plenty of hope that the club can climb the table in the year ahead.

Given the outstanding job he has done since his arrival in October, Rohl is loved by Owls supporters, and the German is arguably the club's most popular manager since Carlos Carvalhal.

One man who came close to receiving similar affection during his short spell in charge was Steve Bruce, and his recent surprise return to management with League One side Blackpool will have brought back mixed emotions for many Wednesday fans.

Steve Bruce's brief Sheffield Wednesday tenure

Bruce was appointed Wednesday manager in January 2019, replacing Jos Luhukay, who had been sacked the previous month.

The Owls made a strong start to the 2018-19 season, and they sat as high as sixth in early October, but a significant decline in form over the following few months resulted in Luhukay's dismissal.

Wednesday were 16th in the table when Bruce arrived, and he made an immediate impact, going unbeaten in his first 11 games in charge, winning five and drawing six.

With his side rapidly moving up the table, Bruce himself admitted that the play-offs were the target, but the poor first half of the season under Luhukay had given the Owls a mountain to climb, and they eventually finished the campaign in 12th place.

Bruce's impressive record during his four months at the helm gave Wednesday supporters plenty of reason to be optimistic going into the summer, but the situation changed when rumours of interest from Newcastle United began to emerge in early July.

With pre-season well underway, the prospect of losing Bruce was alarming for the Owls, but the 63-year-old initially played down the speculation linking him with the Magpies.

"It's news to me," Bruce told The Star.

"God only knows what happened on Tuesday afternoon. There seemed to be an upsurge (in the betting) from somewhere.

"John Terry was favourite (for the job) yesterday. It was Mikel Arteta the day before so who knows.

"As far as I am concerned, I am here, I am going home tomorrow and looking forward to walking the dog!"

Bruce later admitted that he had held talks with Newcastle over their managerial vacancy, and he resigned from his role as Wednesday manager before taking over at St James' Park the following week.

A dispute then broke out between the two clubs, with the Owls reporting the Magpies to the Premier League as they believed that details of a release clause in Bruce's contract had been leaked, making it harder for them to keep hold of him.

It has been claimed that Wednesday received around £4 million in compensation for Bruce, but that will have done little to soften the blow of his departure just over two weeks before the start of the season.

As Newcastle were Bruce's hometown club, some Owls supporters understood his desire to take over at St James' Park, but many were angry at the manner of his exit, and the fact that he was leaving for a club where he was unlikely to ever be accepted.

Bruce had previously managed the Magpies' bitter rivals Sunderland, and given that he had not managed in the Premier League since 2015, he was seen as an unambitious appointment by controversial owner Mike Ashley and a significant downgrade on his predecessor Rafa Benitez.

That made Bruce's departure all the more frustrating for Wednesday fans, particularly considering the affection he had been shown during his time at Hillsborough, and his reign on Tyneside went the way that many had expected, with the passionate Newcastle support continuously protesting against his position.

Despite working against a backdrop of discontent, Bruce managed to keep the Magpies in the top flight for two consecutive seasons before being sacked in October 2021 following the club's takeover.

If Owls supporters could reluctantly accept Bruce's decision to leave to manage in the Premier League, they would no doubt have been disappointed to see him return to Championship management with West Bromwich Albion in February 2022.

Just as at Newcastle, Bruce faced a similarly uphill battle to win over the Baggies fan base given that he had previously managed both Birmingham City and Aston Villa, and after winning just eight of his 32 games in charge at The Hawthorns, he was dismissed in October 2022 with the club sitting in the relegation zone.

It remains to be seen whether Bruce will be able to reignite his managerial career at Blackpool, but he has found it tough since leaving Hillsborough, and after the impact he made during his brief tenure, both he and Wednesday may wonder what could have been if he had stayed on.

Bruce admitted in 2022 that he had no regrets about taking the Newcastle job, but he did reveal that he enjoyed his time with the Owls, and he praised the club's support.

"I really enjoyed it there. Magnificent support - that blew me away. However, after three of four months, I got the phone call from Newcastle and I had to take it. They're my club, my family’s club," Bruce told The Telegraph.

Unfortunately for Bruce, Wednesday supporters are unlikely to feel the same warmth towards him, and while time has healed the sense of betrayal that many felt, he may never be fully forgiven for his decision to leave.