Recharged Steve Bruce plots new promotion push with West Brom

Steve Bruce has said he is determined to shed his tag as a firefighter after returning to management at West Brom following a draining spell in the north-east.

Bruce believes Newcastle supporters may look back on mid-table finishes during his reign differently in time, but after signing an 18-month contract at the Hawthorns his priority is to help a flailing team conquer the Championship by winning his fifth promotion from the division.

Bruce said a four-month break from the game allowed for a much-needed rest. He spent some time watching cricket in Dubai and was due to attend England’s three Test matches in the Caribbean next month, as well as go on safari in the Serengeti, but has cancelled those plans to return to the dugout.

“There is going to be a lot written about the Newcastle thing but as far as I’m concerned it’s gone,” Bruce said. “It was tough, don’t get me wrong, but it’s an experience that I’m still glad I had and finishing 12th and 13th in the Premier League, maybe in 10 years’ time they’ll think: ‘Maybe you didn’t do that bad a job.’ I was waiting for the right opportunity. The break has recharged the batteries again.”

Bruce was sacked by Newcastle in October after the Saudi Arabian-led takeover and revealed he has since turned down jobs in England and abroad. The 61-year-old said a return to the second tier, from which he has twice won promotion with both Birmingham and Hull, appealed because it is a “fair race” compared with the predictable nature of the Premier League.

“Usually you get a team at the bottom,” he said of being appointed midway through the season. “I always seem to be firefighting. This is a different opportunity for me. I’ve come in, the team are in the top six, so I don’t think that has