Aston Villa manager has slammed the supporter who threw a cabbage at him before last night’s meeting with Preston North End, as reported by the Evening Standard.
Under-fire Bruce has spent the last few weeks trying to fend off critics but his side have continued to disappoint, slipping into mid-table obscurity.
Before last night’s draw with Preston, the Villains occupied 15th place in the table and tensions boiled over. A vegetable was hurled at the former Sunderland manager and Bruce was quick to condemn the perpetrator:
“To say it is disappointing it an understatement for a club like this. “[The cabbage was thrown] before we had even started too.
“I find the whole thing hugely disrespectful. Unfortunately it sums up the society we are in at the moment, there is no respect for anyone. Certainly for someone like the bloke who is being questioned. I’m surprised he knew what a cabbage was.”
The atmosphere within Villa Park was nothing short of hostile as Preston launched a comeback, overturning a 2-0 deficit to take the lead in the 86th minute. Fortunately for Bruce, a point was salvaged when Yannick Bolasie struck in the first minute of added time, potentially keeping the 57-year-old in employment for the time being.
Villa have now won just one of their last ten games but many remain firm believers in Bruce’s ability to reverse the club’s fortunes – including captain James Chester and former Villains loanee Joshua Onomah.
Saturday’s trip to Millwall was prophesised to be Bruce’s last in the hot seat, with The Telegraph reporting that he had just two games to save his job prior to last night’s draw.
That proved to be a game too generous after today’s news that Bruce was to be relieved of his duties forthwith. After the heroics that led the Villans to the edge of promotion back to the Premier League last season. News earlier from Villa Park confirmed the thoughts of many, that the borrowed time Bruce was living on had run out.
Steve Bruce’s reign might have ended with Aston Villa’s terse statement releasing him and his assistants, yet it was signalled by the launching of a vegetable by a fan at the beleaguered of a club seemingly on the slide.
