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| Aston Villa’s Steve Bruce pleads with fans to behave at Birmingham derby | Aston Villa’s Steve Bruce pleads with fans to behave at Birmingham derby |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Steve Bruce has called for supporters of Birmingham and Aston Villa to make this weekend’s second-city derby “the spectacle everyone wants to see” and avoid scenes like those that unfolded at the London Stadium on Wednesday night. | Steve Bruce has called for supporters of Birmingham and Aston Villa to make this weekend’s second-city derby “the spectacle everyone wants to see” and avoid scenes like those that unfolded at the London Stadium on Wednesday night. |
| The Villa manager was speaking before the first Birmingham derby in the league for five years, a match that pits Bruce against a club he managed for six years. While the 55-year-old encouraged supporters to be vocal he also asked them to stay on the right side of the line. | |
| “It’s our second city so Villa versus Blues is always going to be right up there in terms of derbies,” Bruce said. “But we don’t want a repeat of what we saw on Wednesday night. They were horrible, ugly scenes. Yes, shout loud and make your feelings known. But we don’t want a repeat of last night, we want the spectacle everyone’s keen to see.” | “It’s our second city so Villa versus Blues is always going to be right up there in terms of derbies,” Bruce said. “But we don’t want a repeat of what we saw on Wednesday night. They were horrible, ugly scenes. Yes, shout loud and make your feelings known. But we don’t want a repeat of last night, we want the spectacle everyone’s keen to see.” |
| Bruce knows he is likely to face a vocal reception from the home crowd when the game kicks off at St Andrew’s on Sunday lunchtime. “I’m sure it’s going to be a wonderful welcome,” he joked. “I’m sure they’ll be singing my name from the rafters. But I’m used to a bit of stick. I’ve had it all the way through my career and as long as it’s good-hearted banter then that’s what football is all about. | |
| “I like to think that deep down there’ll be a bit of respect. I’ve been in football 40 years and 10 of those were with Blues [as a player and manager]. So I’m expecting stick but I challenge them to come up with something original. Potato head is not enough.” | “I like to think that deep down there’ll be a bit of respect. I’ve been in football 40 years and 10 of those were with Blues [as a player and manager]. So I’m expecting stick but I challenge them to come up with something original. Potato head is not enough.” |
| Bruce said he had been instilling in his players, many of whom arrived at the club in the summer transfer window, the importance of the derby match. “All week I’ve reminded them what to expect,” he said. “I’ve been prepping since last Monday. They all know what to expect and the match won’t catch them unawares. | Bruce said he had been instilling in his players, many of whom arrived at the club in the summer transfer window, the importance of the derby match. “All week I’ve reminded them what to expect,” he said. “I’ve been prepping since last Monday. They all know what to expect and the match won’t catch them unawares. |
| “You can’t ever play down the significance of a match like this. One thing you have to be as a player is fully committed. Supporters demand that. But at the same time you have to remember to play the game. If you don’t, before you know it, it can pass you by and you won’t have taken part in it. Let’s hope one of our players can seize the moment and make a name for himself.” | |
| “I’ve got friends who are big Blues and I’ve got a lot of friends who are Villa too,” he added. “[Villa player] Gary Gardner says his dad would take him one week to Villa and one week to Blues and that’s how it should be. It should be a joy for the right reasons. We realise what a great derby game it is. Even though it hasn’t gone on for five years you will only have to turn up to the stadium to realise it’s a big derby. Up there with all big fixtures: it’s the Midlands derby and it’s a big, big occasion for both clubs.” | |
| Bruce is unbeaten as Villa manager since he joined at the beginning of the month with the club sitting in the bottom three of the Championship table. He comes into the derby on the back of two consecutive wins. Gary Rowett’s Birmingham, meanwhile, sit just outside the play-offs in seventh. | Bruce is unbeaten as Villa manager since he joined at the beginning of the month with the club sitting in the bottom three of the Championship table. He comes into the derby on the back of two consecutive wins. Gary Rowett’s Birmingham, meanwhile, sit just outside the play-offs in seventh. |
| “They’re going to be tough, uncompromising and resilient,” Bruce said of his opponents. “Gary’s done a smashing job in difficult circumstances and I expect them to be ready for the challenge. | |
| “What we talk about in games like this are small details. It’s mistakes, a bounce of ball, a touch of genius, a bit of indiscipline. You have to go and perform on the day and who performs when under pressure – and they’re going to be under severe pressure – has the chance to succeed. I’m quietly confident we can do that.” | “What we talk about in games like this are small details. It’s mistakes, a bounce of ball, a touch of genius, a bit of indiscipline. You have to go and perform on the day and who performs when under pressure – and they’re going to be under severe pressure – has the chance to succeed. I’m quietly confident we can do that.” |