Steve Bruce Former Manager

A profile of former Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce, documenting his win percentages, Championship promotion push, and his tenure at Villa Park.

Tactical Identity

Pragmatic / Experience-Driven

Tenure

Oct 2016 — Oct 2018

Status

Historical Record

Steve Bruce: Aston Villa play-off failure and downfall

Steve Bruce’s two-year spell at Aston Villa is a little curious. On the one hand, he helped to stabilise the club during a very difficult period, and he reached the play-off final in the 2017-18 season where the Villans suffered Wembley heartbreak against Fulham. Just five months on, Bruce had been sacked after comically having a cabbage thrown his way from the stands in a 3-3 draw with Preston at Villa Park. Ultimately, fans had grown tired of what they considered a dull brand of football and there was very much a terse relationship between fans and manager by the end of his spell.

Steve Bruce’s managerial record

Bruce’s has a career in management spanning over a thousand games, and he has an odd history of managing rival sides. Aston Villa and Birmingham City, Sunderland and Newcastle United, Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United, Bruce is certainly not scared of crossing a divide.

Steve Bruce | Complete Managerial Record

Documenting a career spanning over 1,000 matches

Team	From	To	P	W	D	L	Win %
Sheffield United	2 July 1998	17 May 1999	55	22	15	18	40.0
Huddersfield Town	24 May 1999	16 Oct 2000	66	25	16	25	37.9
Wigan Athletic	4 Apr 2001	29 May 2001	8	3	2	3	37.5
Crystal Palace	31 May 2001	2 Nov 2001	18	11	2	5	61.1
Birmingham City	12 Dec 2001	23 Nov 2007	270	100	70	100	37.0
Wigan Athletic	26 Nov 2007	3 June 2009	68	23	17	28	33.8
Sunderland	3 June 2009	30 Nov 2011	98	29	28	41	29.6
Hull City	8 June 2012	22 July 2016	201	82	44	75	40.8
Aston Villa	12 Oct 2016	3 Oct 2018	102	46	25	31	45.1
Sheffield Wednesday	1 Feb 2019	15 July 2019	18	7	8	3	38.9
Newcastle United	17 July 2019	20 Oct 2021	97	28	28	41	28.9
West Bromwich Albion	3 Feb 2022	10 Oct 2022	32	8	12	12	25.0
Blackpool	3 Sept 2024	4 Oct 2025	61	21	19	21	34.4
Career Totals			1,094	405	286	403	37.0%

*Statistical data sourced from provided managerial records. Correct as of April 2026.

Steve Bruce’s managerial achievements

Bruce took Villa to a play-off final, but he is not remembered fondly by many at Villa Park. His past association with fierce rivals Birmingham City certainly did him no favours, and the fact he twice won promotion with the Blues will only add to that consternation. He also won promotion with Hull City on two occasions and took the Tigers to the FA Cup final in 2014.

Trophy Cabinet