Ex-Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce makes ‘one of the best’ Mike Ashley claim

Steve Bruce has hailed Mike Ashley for his no-nonsense style as Newcastle United owner.

The Sports Direct tycoon was vilified throughout his 14-year reign on Tyneside. From stadium name changes to relegations, a lack of communication and investment, Ashley’s departure in October 2021 was celebrated by Newcastle fans across the world.

Bruce was one of the last remnants of Ashley's ownership when the Saudi-backed consortium bought the keys to St James’ Park. He managed the club for two-and-a-half years but a rocky start to the campaign had the Magpies languishing in the relegation zone.

Fan unrest towards the manager threatened to stain the feel-good factor at Newcastle during the new regime’s early weeks and, as expected, Bruce was sacked after a 3-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. Finishing 13th and 12th in his two seasons as boss kept United afloat but criticism was levelled towards his style of play.

Speaking to the In Retrospect podcast, the former Toon boss credited Ashley as one of the “better chairmen” he worked under during his 25-year managerial career. Bruce also insisted he was proud to have “done his job” by keeping the Magpies in the Premier League.

“I have to say, Mike Ashley was one of the better chairmen I had to work with,” he said. “He never interfered, he let you get in with it. He didn’t try to say ‘I wouldn’t have picked him’.

“He was straight to the point. Of course, what we wanted was to open his wallet - which he’s never going to do! He did it a couple of times for me but he was never going to do that.

“My persuasive powers, and Lee Charnley helped me enormously, got Callum Wilson. He was against everything Mike wanted.

“(He was) 29-year-old, a bit of a dodgy knee but I knew he could score enough to keep us in the league. It was difficult but something which, I believe, is I did my job to keep them there (in the Premier League).”