**In 2021, Newcastle United was finally taken away from Mike Ashley as the Amanda Staveley-led, Saudi PIF-backed takeover was completed.**
One of the first things on the agenda for the new ownership was to get shot of manager Steve Bruce and bring in somebody who could give the Magpies a chance of surviving that season in the Premier League.
Bruce was given another game in charge after being sat on 999 games as a manager. Staveley and Co. gave him his 1000th game and his marching orders, ultimately bringing in Eddie Howe as his successor.
Howe has kept Newcastle in the Premier League, almost miraculously, and then got the Magpies into the Champions League the following season and a cup final. He's since become the first manager to lead Newcastle to a major domestic trophy in 70 years. And it turns out, we have Steve Bruce to thank for all of this.
Steve Bruce - The saviour
Newcastle United have Steve Bruce to thank for Eddie Howe's success
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Steve Bruce has become a master of twisting the truth to make himself look good, and he's now trying to take credit for Eddie Howe's success at Newcastle, telling [TalkSPORT](https://talksport.com/football/3685670/steve-bruce-steven-gerrard-eddie-howe-newcastle-sacking/) that he recommended Eddie Howe and Steve Gerrard as potential successors when he left.
> “I'm going to say this publicly now, and I think people have heard it before.“Amanda Staveley asked me, when I was leaving Newcastle, who I would recommend.“I recommended Steven Gerrard, and Eddie Howe - because I do think he's very, very talented, and has got to be the next England manager surely.
>
> “He's a very, very talented lad, and he's gone on to prove it at Newcastle - not that he had anything to prove.”
Imagine if we'd given the job to Steve Gerrard
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Bruce has tried to take credit for Eddie Howe's appointment before, and you know what, he may well have dropped his name to Amanda Staveley as he left the club, but he was already in the frame; he wasn't breaking any new ground.
All we can say is that we're glad Amanda Staveley didn't pursue Steve Gerrard, as his managerial career hasn't exactly stood the test of time, has it?
It has been four years, and Brucey still manages to irk us every time he mentions the club.