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Blackpool boss Steve Bruce admits he’s uncertain on how he’ll be greeted by Birmingham City fans on their visit to Bloomfield Road this weekend.
The Seasiders welcome the Blues to the Fylde Coast on Sunday afternoon in the second round of the FA Cup (K.O. 1pm).
Bruce knows the midlands outfit well, having spent a number of years at the helm at St Andrew’s between 2001 and 2007 - during which time he won two promotions to the Premier League.
Despite his success with Birmingham, Bruce knows his later time with Aston Villa wasn’t well received among Blues fans.
“It was years later, and it seems to have followed me,” he said.
“I’ve done the North East, Midlands, Sheffield - it seems to happen to me, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time there (at Birmingham), and I still look out for their results.
“To manage them for the best part of seven years was one of the highlights, with a couple of promotions in there and the best player I ever managed in Christophe Dugarry - who was a World Cup winner with France.
“I’ve got nothing but happy memories from a fantastic club with great support.
“It’s been difficult at times, with the Sheffield clubs, the North East ones, and the two main rivals in the midlands - it’s not easy.
“Circumstances happen. There was 20 years between the Sheffield one, then Villa there had been a good five or six years since I managed Birmingham. It’s not like I left one for the other.”
To continue the trend of managing clubs in similar areas, Bruce states he could look for another job close to Blackpool when his time at Bloomfield Road comes to an end.
“Maybe after this one I’ll go and manage Fylde down the road if they’ll have me and that’ll complete the lot,” he added jokingly.
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