Football Daily - 72+ EFL Pod: At Home with the Bruces

Episode Date: December 24, 2025

Steve and Alex Bruce join Aaron Paul & Jobi McAnuff for the 72+ Christmas special. They talk about what Christmas was like in their playing and managerial days. Steve reveals who his most generous chairmen were and how he once turned down the Newcastle job. They have their say on allegations of nepotism, with Alex excluded from the Hull WhatsApp group. And of course, what’s on the menu on Christmas Day?02:55 Steve Bruce on having Christmas off 04:05 What was Sir Alex like at Christmas? 09:00 Alex Bruce used to be ball boy in training 10:55 How does manager Steve do Christmas? 12:55 How does Alex coach over Christmas? 16:35 Steve names his most generous chairmen 23:00 Steve on turning down the Newcastle job 25:40 Alex on life at Ipswich under Roy Keane 28:35 On allegations of nepotism 31:25 Alex nearly signed for LA Galaxy 35:40 Alex excluded from the Hull WhatsApp group 39:15 Steve nearly refused to sign Harry Maguire 41:35 Do they watch football together? 43:25 Gary Pallister used to help Alex on Tomb Raider 45:10 Steve on not getting called up for England 51:45 Steve names his best signing 55:10 What’s for Christmas dinner?5 Live / BBC Sounds Premier League commentaries: Fri 26 Dec EFL Around the Grounds, Sat 27 Dec 1500 Arsenal v Brighton, Sat 27 Dec 1500 Liverpool v Wolves on Sports Extra, Sat 27 Dec 1730 Chelsea v Aston Villa, Sun 28 Dec 1400 Sunderland v Leeds, Sun 28 Dec 1630 Crystal Palace v Tottenham, Mon 29 Dec EFL Around the Grounds, Tue 30 Dec Premier League Around the Grounds, Thu 1 Jan EFL Around the Grounds.

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Very good. It's not bad. It's not bad. I say you've got a... I've got a small list. Oh, very nice. Look at that. Yeah, yeah.

Which athlete would be the warmest in winter? Which athletes would be the warmest in winter? I love the way you ask it again as if we're going to be like, oh yeah. Oh, yeah. Go on, mate. A long jumper. That I don't mind. That's not bad.

Welcome, everybody, to our Christmas edition of 72 plus the EFL pod from Five Livesport with me, Aaron Paul, and Santa's little helper. Joby McEnough. Happy Christmas, Jobe. Happy Christmas, Az. How are we? Yeah, very good, very good. Looking forward to it, yeah. Someone being down your chimney? Well, I've got to say, I was never a massive fan of Christmas, obviously due to playing, which I'm sure the guys will maybe go into a little bit later on. But it's a kind of time of the season, especially when you're playing, you've got to just get your red down, block out.

all the noise but it's tough because everyone else is on holiday they're out they're having a good time there so uh since i've retired i've definitely mellowed out a little bit i think the kids are a lot happier now that i'm not playing or coaching because i can relax a little bit more and uh make it feel like it should do it this time of year my missus a hated me for years while i was playing because i just won't get into it but now uh i'm all all on board for it what does casso mac enough look like at christmas uh normally pretty busy parents over um can you shout out the old man as well what a legend yeah uh big john will be over for christmas Day.

89 years old. And he doesn't look a day of a 40. Yeah, he's happy at the moment. I've just been to Jamaica and Bats. I've bought him his present, which is a few bottles of white rum, which is his tipple. So he's happy as Larry, mate.

Love it. Now, this is a special edition of 72 plus. It's tradition to have a special guest sort of Christmas time in previous years. We've had Barry's Christmas fry up, the legendary Barry Frye of Peterbury United. We've had the old Barnet boss Martin, Mad Dog Allen. We've had Big Sam's massive Christmas with Sam

And last season, we had some incredible stories from none other than the legend that is Neil Warnock. And this year, to save us from tears, we thought we'd go for someone special. In fact, we've got Job's the best Christmas offer out there. It's buy one, get one free. It's the Bruce's Alex Bruce of Salford City and the legend that is Steve Bruce himself with us in 72 plus. Happy Christmas. Happy Christmas to everybody, yeah. Thanks for inviting us on.

Thank you. How are we? I'm absolutely fine, yeah. Looking forward to it This is Alex's territory I mean he does a bit of radio with us He enjoys doing at 5-5 with us It's his home

He does well Yeah, he does well Yeah, he does well, yeah I've listened to him occasionally Yeah, he's done well How are you? I'm good, good I've had a bit of a poor result last night

But apart from that all good, yeah Merry Christmas Don't forget this is going out on Christmas I know, yeah Yeah, well done now Steve, you can't have had many Christmases off during your time Well, Jobie I've been sacked in October

For the last few years now I can't get past October So I've had a couple of Christmases off But I get what you're getting at I understand that in the football world Really really it becomes a difficult time Where everybody's enjoying themselves And you're watching what you eat

And watch what you drink and all the rest of it So this year but this year All off it's going to all happen You can enjoy yourself as a gaffer now Yeah you've still got to be a little bit You can't be a you can't be go too much Can you? Do you feel guilty when you sat there

You've got your turkey you put in your pigs in blankets and you know that the lads are at home eating my big difficult one was always I've battled with a little bit of weight even playing wise so I could look at something and put half a stone on you know and even back in the day

so I would always just try and nibble at Christmas dinner and all the rest of it especially when I was playing although it was that long ago I can't remember but yeah you can enjoy yourself a little bit more in management but if you're playing Liverpool the next day your man's city then you're not going to enjoy

enjoy it, that's for sure. What was Sir Alex like at Christmas? Very, very good, because he shared the same birthday. If you remember, we all went, we were all claimed that we were all on the RAS one day when QPR beat us on New Year's Day because I think it was Sir Alex's 50th. And we shared the same birthday in New Year's Eve. So, yeah, he was always okay. He was always quite jolly, yeah.

What was the one where he caught you with the crater bays? Was that around the Christmas time? No, that was when a, no, no, yeah, because I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, signed for man you in December so like normal most people I was going to the off license to carry some beers

because the family were coming down and I was making my debut my home debut against Everton in 1987 anyway as I got into train the next morning Archie Knox said to me you better go up and see the cafe I don't know what you've done

but you're not very happy I've only been in the club a week by the way I'd only be to the club a week and I said pardon He said, hey, you're very good up there He's not very happy I don't know what you've done So I'll up I go and all the rest of it

Anyway, I sit down in front of him And he starts, he says Where were you yesterday afternoon? I said yesterday afternoon Nowhere No way, no way And not that I can remember He said, we're in Wimslow

Oh I said, yeah, of course I went to the off-lacens I went to get a few beers and a couple of boxes of wine And then he went off on one How dare you Carrying bottles of beer and walking around Wimslow with buckets of beer in your arms first time I'd see

The first real time The hair dryer, that's the first time Yeah He's remember you're a man United playing We don't be seen carrying alcohol Through Wimslow High Street You're probably thinking

Jillingham was much better than this Oh my God Did say to him I haven't I haven't drank any He says I don't give it Yeah that was the first time really I'd seen a bit of the

And it was a reminder That a man new player shouldn't be seen carrying beer. Alex, what about Christmas when your dad was a player? I mean, young Alex growing up. To be fair, when we were kids, it was football was always the routine you know, so dad was always

he was at training, Christmas Day mornings, he would be back at like 12, 1 o'clock, we'd have our dinner, it would be pretty mellow because you'd always have a game on a boxing day and we had the schmichels across the road, didn't we? They lined it up. They livened it up a little bit. Casper and I

normally putting the new strips on out in the street kicking the ball around that we'd open for Christmas presents and and that was normally the routine around about Christmas time. The one thing you say about being a footballer though Christmas time with the family thing it can have its its hindrances and all the rest of it but when you're actually involved and you go and you play boxing. Oh you would change it for the world would you like and it's such a tradition in this country do you know what I mean and I'm glad we've got a full EFL schedule on boxing day this year I was going to say there's only one game than the Premier League and again and again it is like I think that's part of the

fabric of football in this country, isn't it? And I just feel we have to be really careful that we don't lose that. Because like you say, you know, when you're not having to worry about what you're eating and drinking at that time of you if you're playing. But for the general public, that is such a big day. I think there's so much has been made about the fact that there are no Premier League games or there's one Premier League game on Boxing Day. There are 72 clubs in the football league.

Get out there and watch some. There's non-league left, right and centre. I was speaking to a cabby this morning who told me he's an Arsenal fan. He's gutted that Arsenal playing. but he lives in Hornchurch Hall Church is at his local side they're top of National League South at the time of recording

and they're playing Dagenham Repair because I cannot wait to get to Hornchurch going and watch out and I'm like See that there's more By then everyone wants to get out You've had Christmas Day You're absolutely

You know you can't move What you want to get to You want a bit of fresh air Yeah exactly So yeah great to see We have got some games Why I asked you about the family thing is because you always seem to

You read things about You know like oh well I miss my miss is my kids you know, it's tougher on Christmas and people want time with the family. It sounds like you didn't miss him at all. Yeah, I was on my own for five years down at Ipswich, a million miles away as well when I was playing.

So I was, you have some lonely Christmases when you're on your own. I'm sure you can resonate with Job's, but it's part and parcel of it. And it's a small sacrifice. Listen, we're not sitting here with our violins because we miss out on a few things, you know, and, you know, it's part and parcel of it and a price that you gladly pay, really, isn't it? And some brilliant footage of you guys when you were kids though. I mean, it must have been amazing, you know, especially at that stage.

You know, you're at one of the biggest clubs in the world, like the success that you're knocking around with Casper and, you know, being in around it. It just, it did feel like, and this is the other thing, you do, when you're at somewhere like that, almost create that other family. Yeah. You know, with teammates, with, you know, other children and that almost is your secondary sort of connection there, isn't it, really? They were great times and obviously the training ground, the old cliff and Littleton Road where we're actually. training now, Salford. Casper and I would obviously be thrown in the back of the car. We'd go to training with them.

Would be... Is that what a Christmas holiday look like? You know, I remember. They throw us in the big bath. What's I'm going to have my parents? You know, I'm going to go out of my nans or I'm going to work with my dad. Where's your dad work? He works on the lorries.

Where are you going? I'm going to training at Manchester United. It would be behind the goals, collecting the balls. Yeah. That was what we used to do. It was great. He always allowed the kids around holiday time and especially Christmases and all the rest of they'd bring them in

and let them collect the balls and all the rest of it. In fact, when I look back on it, the captain's wife had to go and get all the Christmas presents for the staff, can you imagine? And I remember our house full of presents for every kid,

every kid in the, and they'd have their own Christmas party and it was the captain's wife who had to go and get all the toys. There was toys everywhere in the house, you know? But he wanted that, didn't it? He wanted you. he created it's I mean there's been a lot of talk about the staff not getting tickets

the one thing about Sir Alex where he did unbelievable was he tread the groundsman and the girls who worked behind the canteen as good as he treads he's captain or he's sent a forward he was relentless in that there was a unbelievable humility still is by the way there's an unbelievable humility about him which created this family sort of atmosphere even at a massive club like it was and when you got to cup finals and winning leagues the parties that would throw for the staff and the people

behind the scenes he was magnificent of creating that special this is a bit special a man new and this is the way it's done how's it changed then you were as a manager as far back as what two months ago a month ago like you you've been at clubs over Christmas you've been a gaffer, you've had to deal with things

what have you taken from that era because that actually feels like a really good Christmas. Yeah, I mean, look, we all know Christmas is a special time, special time. In footballers, you know, you have to make sure that they still enjoy themselves and they still enjoy their family

because it's all about a family on Christmas Day, isn't it? You know, for most people. So you just, you go with it, you try and make it. I mean, I remember times when we used to travel, if we had a game on Boxing Day, we'd open up Old Trafford and put the lights on and not train until 6, 7 o'clock

so you could have your day you know, so go and train at 7 o'clock and then off you go and wherever you were going after that so there's little things that you I always try to make it as easy as you possibly can and if that means even having a day off

then you're having a day off because it's the way it is Steve do you think that's one part of the game where football has changed now where it is so much about the business side of things and I think we've lost a little bit of that sense of, like you say, looking after those support staff that are so, so important on the day-to-day basis

and just getting that buy-in and creating that environment because I just don't hear those sort of stories anymore and being around clubs, you know? Do you know what I think's changed now, Jovi, which is massive. When you played, and even at the start, when I was playing, and I'm sure you might be the same, you had a manager and assistant manager. The goalkeeper coach

That was it On the immediate staff Hang on a minute My day The goalkeeper coach For Schmiker was part time Yeah yeah I went on Tuesday on a Thursday

You go to the big clubs out Especially Not just the big You need a coach for the staff Yes And then you look at the people Who work at the ground There's such massive businesses now

Especially the big ones It's a lot harder to police What's the like for you Being in that sort of coaching sphere now You're in Christmas Day That's what everyone wants to know No we're not We're not in Christmas Day

Carl's giving us the day off but it's such a busy schedule as there's games weekends a couple of days late Saturday's Tuesday Saturday's Tuesday all the way through and it's I'm sure when you can relate to it as well

you worry about injuries schedules how hard do you train them what do you do on certain days do you put plans in place recovery protocols all these little things I mean especially in the lower leagues where you haven't got the luxury for

facilities cryo chambers ice baths or you have to find places for the lads to go. When you're playing Boxing Day, the 28th New Year's Day, it's about managing and putting the correct things in place. I mean,

we sit and we ask your dad about, you know, Man United and what it was like back then. It's very different, though, in League 2, I don't imagine. You know, you have people out there who are going to be on their own, they're going to be thousands of miles

from family. How do you make sure everyone's all right? Because it's not just the case of have a nice Christmas. It's making sure they're actually, are you right? You know something that it's amazing that you've actually brought it up

because we were talking about it the other day we've actually got the young lads who are on their own at Christmas who have got families miles away and Gary's got a lovely hotel in Manchester so we've organised for them to go there and so they're all together and have Christmas Day together so

it's a part of the game it's a great question I'm so glad that a club like yours is actually looking at that again I remember being at Cardiff and Cameron Jerome was a young lad at the time he's from Huddersfield but obviously million miles from home

and his family was staying at home for Christmas we had a game boxing day and we invited him round and he had a food to this day he's a good pal of mine but he always talks about that Christmas I came around you know as me my missis my dad and it's like because it is a time that is everyone associates

with family but actually because you are doing your job there are times and managing the squad's really important as and as you come lower down again if you're at one of the bigger clubs or even top end championship you know there's majority of the players will be based in that area the families will be with them their longer term contracts you start going down league one league two you find one year deals people living away from home and i remember when i went into

stevenage it was season after but they were due to being on on christmas day and a lot of the players of families based up north and so they're in in the morning but then all the lads of wacky racers trying to get back up north to have a little bit of the day with the family and then driving back down for boxing day so the manager the next year was like right right we've got of, that's not right. It's not good preparation. It's like, we're going to have Christmas day off, you know, so you can go back on the 24th, you have your time at home, you have your day with your family, but you need to be backed down by the evening of Christmas night. That's the sort of, you know, and then

that way, it's that bit of give and takes. There's no real set rule. You have to assess the squad and find out what really works best for you. I think so many times we see it is we've got to be on Christmas day because, you know, and it's not always the case. So there's a bit of planning, obviously, that needs to go on. And you're right, Jovie, in the law divisions, and I've just experienced again, when I first started, I played in the lower divisions there for Gillingham and it was, I might as well have been in the moon

gets from Gillingham to Newcastle there. It was impossible. Yeah. Especially to get back on a Saturday. So it became and that's where you need that support group and that people around you who help you help you enormously. And the one thing you don't realize in the lower divisions, they only get one year contracts

and they can't afford two houses. Yeah. So they're split. Yes. That kids are at one end of the family and that's how difficult it is to manage. I've just experienced of the other end of the scale where these lads the share of the apartment to try and make it work

because they can't really afford two houses don't want to disrupt the kids becomes really very difficult you've worked for some very interesting chairman yes it was the most generous at Christmas

oh you worked for Simon Jordan very famously yeah not at Christmas I didn't last that long okay but I was on The Allums at Hull City? The Allums at Hull.

I have to say the old man at the hole was very, very generous. Assam. Assam, I learned it. Yeah. Mike Ashley? Yeah, was very, very generous to me. Most people would absolutely doubt that, but I have to tell you. And I, okay, I had a prediction.

I've kept this one right to the end, because I reckon this man is the most generous. Dave Whelan. Oh, absolutely. If you were good to him, he was absolutely as good as you get. Did he ever tell you the story? broke his leg in the cup final. Yeah.

And do you know he did? Back in the day when I worked for him we had a really arguably the best team I ever had was at Wiggin for one year,

calendar year. I think we took something like 63, 64 points which would have got us into Europe but we had Heschi and

Rodolaga and Valencia Palacios, Catamol, Figuaroa, Shana, Bramble, the good goalkeeper.

Kirkland. Big Kirkland, Mario Melchiot. We had a very very, very good team. And unfortunately, the big boys come picking and took Valencia and Palacios and Heschi and the team was never quite the same.

However, we raked in something like 60 million quid back 20-odd year ago. And anyway, he encouraged me to go and take the Sunland job when it came along. He encouraged me because he didn't want to really put the investment back in in which he had put in, which is fair enough. He put colossal sums of money in.

However, Roberto Martin, won the FA Cup and I believe that he got the keys to a house on Royal Westmoreland in Barbados is a thank you can you imagine exactly yeah but he got relegated as well so I got relegated and I still believe he's still

got the house in there in Royal Westman in Barbados what a gesture not a bad Christmas present with Dave Whelan I always look at him and I'd sit there and I go he's a kind of guy you'd want to be your granddad Like, fair play David Choppel. Yeah, but let me tell you, let me tell you, it was tough. He's going to be.

Oh, he's just tough as the world. And another great one I can tell about him was he was absolutely with Valencia, Antonio, he had Real Madrid and by Munich. And David Rueen was adamant, adamant that he wasn't going to sell to the Germans and the Spanish. So he encouraged me to ring up Sir Alex

to say, listen, are you interested, which there were. And he give, I'm sure he gave my, United he got a he would have got more money at the El Madrid and buy Munich than Man United were going to pay so he even did that but what a servant he was for Man United as well yeah oh I'm a good player unbelievable so you never answered the question who was the most generous to me er I'm gonna put up the Geordie Nation now you can't you can't do it dad in arms I can't cope with this don't say it please Alex is frightened now we'll never get we'll never go back a new

Castle again, but Mike Ashley was very, very good to me. Steve, it's interesting you've brought that up because I know it's a time that is certainly looked at for Newcastle fans, mainly because of the owner, but you obviously bore a lot of the flack during your reign with him as well. And it seemed apparent to everybody externally that the remit for the club at that time was be safe, stay in the Premier League and keep things ticking over until maybe there's a possibility to move the club on. That was totally lit when I have the conversation with Mike.

But you can't then get that out. And listen, we know the expectation of those fans. You know better than yourself. You grew up following the football club. How hard is that for you as a manager, though, not being able to almost come out and say, listen, we're pretty much doing as well as we can, given the resources that I've got to work with.

Most people, most people, the genuine fans in Newcastle, listen, it's only a handful everywhere. Yeah. But the disappointing thing for me is the press joined in. But look, I knew how difficult it was going to be. I'll still never ever regret it because I've managed Newcastle. I'm one of 80 managers who've, and I'm born and bred Jordie and I had to take it.

And there was a lot to me mates. When you get to the lakes of Kenny Daglish and Graham Sooners and Alan Shearer saying, be careful, you know, I remember Graham saying to me, I've managed in Liverpool, with Liverpool and Everton, I've managed in Glasgow. I've even managed in Turkey, he says, but nothing's more difficult to where you're going. And that's the, that's the,

fanaticism of the support. They are incredible support. I mean, even back in the day with incredible support. However, they were never going to take to me because they always thought I was Mike Ashley's man.

But did you almost start from a minus position because they love Raffa Benitez so much? Well, they loved Raffa and... Raffa was a bit more vocal, though, wasn't he? In terms of telling the nation and the support what he had

and what he wasn't allowed to do, so they kind of went with him with it and he went against Mike Ashley. Yeah. You should have maybe gone against Mike a little bit more and he might have been a bit more on your side

rather than keeping you... No, but you know, do you know when you've done management you've reeled off a lot of people I've worked for too I'm sure they have stories about me as well by the way you know

I was very very difficult when I was younger that's for sure I mean I had three four jobs and two years where I tell them to shove it you know and I wasn't very very good at it

and I didn't think it was going to be for me for a long long time until I met Dave Winner he was the first he was the first to say but the one thing you want is the manager is

you want a bit of clarity, can I have it, yes or no? And that's all you want. And he was as blunt as that. You can, the club generated a chunk of money and profit every year. That's what you had to spend. He would never do HP.

He would never spread payments, pay for it one. But, you know, the club was always in good hands. It was never, ever going to, when you see the state of like Sheffield Wednesday, some other small clubs that we talk about, or other clubs, Sheffield Wednesday, And I had the privilege to manage that What a club that is

And what a support that is Somebody's going to get What a fantastic football club that is And look at the situation It's in at the moment It's pretty pretty dire Do you ever sit there You'll tell you I'm going to go for X Y Z job

I'm getting this job And you're like Dad what are you doing Oh it's happened a few times Don't worry And there's been a few job opportunities That I've come up for him Where we sit around the table At the kitchen table

And it normally takes my mum to go You're not going there Right you've caused me enough Part 8 with this one that one. How many jobs as Mrs. Bruce vetoed? Oh, she's

veto two or three. And you know, Newcastle came up in 2006 when, I think it was 2006 or four. Yeah, you should have gone then. Raymond Sue was took it instead. Yeah.

So Bobby was just, at the end, Bobby Robson, the great Sir Bobby Robes. That would have been in 2000. He was stepping down. Oh, four might have been new. Glenn Rhoda come in.

No, no. Sooners took it. So Bobby was, leaving and I remember going up to talk with Newcastle back in the time and that's when I felt as if... You were at Birmingham at the time weren't you? Yeah, we'd been hugely successful

at Birmingham and and I went up to talk to them actually it was our Amy's birthday so it was 24th of May it was something around that time where and actually they actually kept Sir Bobby on for a few months until the

August time and then they revisited but I stayed loyal to Birmingham but they wanted me to work alongside the great Bobby Robson which was always going to be difficult the way Sir Bobby was and also more importantly they wanted to have Chera underneath me who ultimately they wanted him to be the boss so they wanted Sir Bobby above me Shearer believed me and he stood in the middle somewhere

so I declined it and all the way home I was thinking wow wow what have I done what have I done will I regret that? I know he was an absolute icon of the games of Bobby Robinson but was any of you like work with him that never gave me in England came

he did apologise he did apologise to me one night in Portugal but yeah and hey listen I used to see him all the time in Portugal and spent a lot of time with them in later life after he finished with Newcastle

you know and he encouraged me to take it you know take it Steve it's a great club and a great tradition and great history but as I said they wanted to put him up above me He was some man Subobby

He took me out for dinner The day I signed Fripswich Him and his wife took me and my mum out And he was Just as, you know He was in people's company And you just think What a special guy

And you talk about the stories And the way he holds himself And he was something else Wasn't it? Yeah, he was Yeah, great man Just on your career You talk about signing of Ripsich Town

I mean I've been really privileged to have been close to the football club and work with the football club you don't realize how big these football clubs are until you're inside those four walls and you live and breathe it and you're like, oh man, this is mad.

I remember turning out to Portland Road one day and you know they've got obviously the practice pitch outside outside the main stand and... Yeah, it should be on there by the way. Oh, incredible history. The players that come through and the history that you walk around the ground

it sort of speaks to you. I say that about the city ground. If the walls could speak here, it'd be incredible but with Ipswich I think 20,000 people just descended upon the ground on a non-match day

just to come and support the football club and to show their love for the football club when you sign for them did you get that family vibe and I'm trying to make it a family vibe because it is Christmas and it's all about a family vibe straight away

when I first went there Jim McGillan was the manager and there's a true saying we always say youth is wasting on the young and I think you appreciate it the older you get how big of a club it was you take it for granted

when you play, don't you, Jovie? You play for certain clubs. I was lucky to play for Sheffield Wednesday you talk about there, Ipswich, you go down, and you see the pictures on the walls of, was it John Walk and Kevin Beatty and Mick Mill.

We're so close to winning the league, yeah. Bobby Robson, and you see all this history and you just think, oh, this is a good club, and you don't appreciate it until you get a little bit older. But, yeah, I loved my time there. You had a really good spell there when you looked back on your career in terms of the amount of games that you played

For you personally. Yeah, yeah. I can't remember off the top of my, 130, 140 games. And I was captain for a short period of time as well. And when Roy came in, first time Roy came in. Yeah, proper club, loved it.

What was he like at Christmas? Do you know what I will say about? Late years every day. Depends what day you get him on. But Roy was great in terms of things like that. Christmas time and looking after families and making sure the lads go out for meals and dinners. And I have to say,

Roy was special when it came to things like that. He was a real big believer in preparation and looking after he was players, making sure the facilities were right. My name's Steve Bradnell, a sister manager of Royal Oak FC. You may have seen me online with Vinyl. Vinyl sensation.

And now the BBC have given me the chance to set the footballing world banter eyes. This could be a great opportunity for us, lads, a podcast for the BBC. Can I just say, What's the podcast? Brilliant.

Great start. Well done, Bob. Brilliant. We can completely show utter transparency to Royal Oak fans. I'll use my charm. Gift it, gab. Games gone. The Steve Bracknell podcast.

Watch on YouTube. Listen on BBC Sounds. To embrace the impossible requires a vehicle that pushes what's possible. Defender 110 boasts a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms, a waiting depth of. 900 millimeters and a roof load up to 300 kilograms. Learn more at landrover.ca. 72 plus, the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby McEnough.

I've got to try and nip something in the bud here and really I want to get your take on it, Alex. Obviously you are father and son. You work in the same industry about the whole nepotism thing. He was the first nepotism, baby. Is this what they call them these? He's just, did you say, nepo baby? I've heard that, I've heard that.

Tell me what it is. Is that somebody with nepotism, I suppose, is it? Yeah, he's given something via nepotism. I mean, I was trying to think of a nepo baby before you. I can't think of many. There's been a few. He's got him written down, mate, don't worry. He's got him written down, like, literally.

The big one, Kevin and John Bond and football. Frank Lampardt? Ian Walker. Frank Lampus, Ian Walker. Ian Walker. Yordie and Johan. oh wow Alan and Jack Alan Cork Jack

Yes Yeah yeah yeah Some of these lads in the Lord of Visions Are so talented And Cluffy's another one eh What you don't get in the Lord of Visions Is there's turnaround It's a mayhem every summer

People go, five, six go Six come in, seven go Another come in and it's a revolving door Because there's no big contracts Is there? There's no contracts But yeah And like Cluffy

What an amazing job over the year And there's talented people in the low divisions And I look at the kid at Stockport He's never been outside The Dave Chandler He's never been outside the top five or six In 10 years I mean

Wow The Club one's interesting And I'll tell you what A couple of years ago You know it was the NFL awards He won manager of the year When he took Mansfield out of lead two And I think I mentioned his dad

In an interview And he looked at me And he goes My father said I'll never be better than him And I just looked at him And I was like Oh okay and I really felt for him there

and why I've got into this whole NEPO thing is what it's like firstly taking stick of people and it's going to be fans the moment you put a foot wrong Alex it's oh well his dad's the gaffa oh well is his dad by the way you know something that started with his name everybody thinks I call him after Sir Alex

there's for this one to start with I said by the way he was three when I went to mind you I'm going to say it he's been a real pain for the whole time of that I mean when I went to... Oh, that's very, very nice, isn't it? When I went to Ipswich,

it was, he'd been at Norwich, so there was that rivalry. And then I went to Leeds, and I remember they were reading that, the names Schmeichel and Bruce were on the same team sheet at Ellen Road, and I remember looking at the Revienne going, you can't bring that song.

And they sang a song to me and Casper, and I remember Casper throwing his arms around and going, I can't sing this to us. And I was like, will you put your arms down? Just shut up, will you? Just keep the ball out of the back of the net. It didn't sound like he's like a man at all, you know. And then I went to Hull.

And fortunately, that was the... It Hull was never going to happen. And believe me, he was going to go to L.A., which his mom was delighted about. My son's going to sign for L.A. Galaxy. How wonderful I says off. You ended up in Hull? Yeah.

And we were negotiating with Bruce Arena, who managed the USA. Do you know how it came about? I was at Leeds, and we played after. Arsenal in the FA Cup. It was Thierry-on-Ree's first game back second time. I played them in the FA Cup.

And David Beckham was training there at the time. Arsenal, yeah. Remember? And obviously, an old teammate of Dad, so I bumped into him in the tunnel. He said, how are you getting on? And he said, I said, Oh, my God.

Let's pick that one out there. I picked that one out there. Anyway, I got speaking to him and he says, well, we need a centre half out in L.A. And I kind of gave it, yeah, all right, cool. Give us a shout. And my wife, Lucy, was pregnant.

at the time with Ava in my first and I've gone home and I said Lucy I saw David Beckham last night and you mentioned about maybe going to Well Air Galaxy they need a centre half didn't really think too much of it next day Bruce Arena rings me

do you want to come I've got one slot left in my roster and it was a bit different over there with the MVP the payments schedules and what have you and it didn't be theorised you weren't obviously going to be one of them I wasn't quite given enough money

to live in Beverley Hills I wasn't quite I'd probably be on David Beckham's You only got a shed in Beverly Hills I actually said that I said how do you expect me to get over there And anyway I was negotiating It didn't quite materialise

And he ended up whilst this negotiation was going on My contract ran out of Leeds And I was training at Hull It's training at Hull And the lad who took me there Peter Chapman Who was big, big with the Alan family At the time

Yeah It was we were looking for We were looking for two, three centrebacks And Peter went What's your boy doing Because he's watching him now play And train And I said

well, this LA Galaxy thing doesn't look as if it's going to materialise and before we knew it was unraveling and he ended up signing for Hull which was not what we really intended because of that nepotism or whatever it is. Thankfully it worked out pretty well. How many years do you give him?

Oh, I give him top money, don't worry about that. He didn't. He talks about this nepotism thing I should have given more money actually. Yeah, I know, should have. Is that in your moment? I might. Seriously, Steve, because I found it is fascinating. I mean, this is such a tough profession at the best of times in terms of, you know, finding your way, you know, playing regularly,

creating your own name for yourself, I suppose. But how much harder must that be? And we're not talking about a run-and-a-mill football here. We're talking about Premier League winner, captain of one of the biggest clubs in world football. It's a two-way thing because is there anything of you going, can I sign my son? Because then the fans or, you know, again for you, Alex trying to... Do you know the thing was, Joe, what she was going to say before, if I hadn't been at,

had the experience that I had at Ipswich where I've been there for five years and played at the level where we were competitive every season and then I'd been to Leeds and we were competitive in the two years. I was there. The first season in particular

we were in the top six for a large chunk of the season. I felt comfortable at the level. So when he went to Hull, it was, where were you before, Hull? Sunland. Sondland and the Premier League,

so he dropped down into the championship. I actually felt in my own mind, I can go there and offer something. No different. You go in, you're performing. I think that was key to it. And I knew after six, seven years, eight years have seen him. Yeah, cool.

Playing in the division, that he was capable. Now, he still had to put her on the shirt and perform. And thankfully, thankfully, and I'm not going to blow smoke, but he did better than what I thought he would possibly could do. He went on to. I had good players around me. What I was going to say? What about the other lads?

Because this, again, something that is just. Do you know what? They were great. Again, I'm not just saying this now but I know a lot of lads who know how and everyone I've ever spoke to, fuck, great lad, you know, but is there any time you've walked in a conversation

or like, you know, the lad's going to know one of a minute, he's going to go to. There was a few. Like, talking about the night out because obviously Al will be having dinner with him on Sunday, tell him. Do you know what?

Do you know what came in? The WhatsApp groups came in when I was at home. That's right, yeah. And I was excluded from the WhatsApp I don't want him to see it in case you get matched I remember thinking I'd fucking not let me in the WhatsApp Yeah yeah yeah

I didn't understand I wouldn't let me in either I'm not in it eventually But the star Yeah I had to earn the WhatsApp group Yeah I always had to earn things Love that I had three Irish ones

Who told me anyway What was going on Because Brady Yeah Brady Miler Four Quinny as well So it weren't even the sun

The Avalids had to worry about It was them I would worry about More than anybody you know but you know you talk about a unique atmosphere and a unique bond or whatever you want to call it I have to say there were great times built around the core of the Irish lads

who were terrific, terrific for me and great, great, great times. It was one time at Hull, Big Abdullah Faye. Oh, mate. You remember Big Abdullah? Unfortunately, one day I made him angry. He was late for a team meeting and late before the game.

And he needed my son it was this particular time now I wasn't taking on Abdullah you're on your own dad that's exactly how it went oh where are you where are you? All the lads were looking at me

as if to say I want to help your dad out he's big Adullah's that happy I says oh no I think leave that one not very good Christmas tale when Big Abdullah was after you is it like one of them ones

where you know at school your mum's a teacher and I could never imagine that like you walk in the dinner and she's like Alex they've got peas you're like peas

I've got your big slice of cake Yeah, exactly. And she's like, come and sit with me and you're like, I want to sit with my mates. Yeah. Is that how this? By the way, it was his mother who used to give me more stick.

You'd better be playing them on Saturday, by the way. No. Yeah, you've got to be playing them on Saturday. Listen, it was great times. I played my fair share. You left me out a couple of times, but we had some good players and good squads and it was, I think the big thing

like what you say is we had really good lads. Close doing in an F.A. Cup final. What nearly was that time. you got your house in Barbados what would Aseb Alam have given you Oh let me tell you he was extremely generous But I have to say

Asim was the real reason That I went to Hull And by the way He let me do Which is a bit different nowadays Everything Everything You know

Listen he said I don't know much about football I've bought it for the community Right Otherwise the club is going to go bust He says I don't know what I'm doing I haven't got a clue what I'm doing Will you please come and help me

and come and run the club and come the way it is and we had a phenomenal time which was arguably as good of four years as probably I've had in my career at all. It was fantastic. You know what I find fascinating about listening to stories in modern day football the way it is with recruitment teams and data and analysts

and the way it's going. He had an old wiry recruitment team that was led by... Average age 65. That was led by Stan Turnant who's the most amazing guy you've ever met and when they used to come in once a month on a Monday and they used to get together for a cup of tea

and they used to compare all the notes there was about five or six of them about players they'd seen people had watched people who Stan had organised to go here there everywhere they used to come in and it was like Stepto and sons wasn't it they used to come in and it was

again it's people you trusted Steve people who understand the game you know somebody like me now I've got to an age now where I'm probably going to, I'm done with it. However, I still love to go to a game. So I used to pay these lads a retainer, and they used to go into

the game. And let me tell you, some of the lads we got Robertson, Maguire, Cluccas and Alucco, and I could go on and on and on. Jared Bowen, Hereford. Jared Bowen, 50 grand from Hereford, you know, was part of it. But Stan was the leader of it, and I don't know if you've ever met him, he's

absolutely fantastic. And when we were saying Harry Maguire, we went to go and watch him in one of these, what they call the Virtue trophy LDV Vans whatever it was called We were sort of in the stand

The paint pot The paint pot Johnson's paint Yeah we were sitting in the stands And when he came out And all the rest of it I said it was a big thing about And it still is about Harry

It was mobility Yeah It was mobility I'm sure more by the years And we've just gone in the Premier League You know And I'm not to sure about this time And all the rest of it

Anyway We got to the car And I'm what do you think I'm still not to sure I'm telling you he's a player and you keep talking about mobility and let me tell you something you were not quite big enough

for a centre off, left side of you was terrible you couldn't use your left foot and you couldn't run either so just take him so you used me as an analogy to take a big Harry and you know when you're in management

it's what you need because every football has got a floor unless you're... I think we're in that world now and I've seen it a lot where coaches and again particularly I think now the data push

I think we look at what players can't do almost before what they can do and again if you're looking for a centre half if you need him to be dominant can play with the ball at his feet of course he can and I think sometimes we get so wrapped up in not sure about this

actually what are his strengths what can he go and do I mean you signed Joe Linton right at Newcastle that wasn't about I have to say he was already done I would love to say I'd love to say Yorby yes it was my signing but he was already in the system

and I certainly didn't see him as a midfield player middle of midfield player if you remember he was bought as a number nine he was bought as a number nine and the number nine of Newcastle is the iconic and the one thing Joe had before he went there wasn't a great, he played on the left hand side at the German club in Hoffenheim

I think it was so he was never really an out and out centre forward you know I didn't see him as a middle of midfield player do you still I mean you said that you enjoy watching football I mean I'd imagine I know about the location in your houses they're sort of back to back, aren't they? So I'd imagine there's a lot of time spent together on the sofa. Do you watch football as, you know, dad and lad,

or do you watch football as Steve Bruce, former centre half, title winning Premier League winning centre half, and Alex Bruce, son of Steve Bruce. We watch football to enjoy it, don't we? Watch football now. And now I've got a four-year-old grandson, right, who's obsessed with when players score a goal. So when players score a goal, and the celebration,

and he's obsessed with the number of the way, right? so he is now takes over where you just wants to take over and it reminds me back of when he was young you know, it was just... Little Lennon, he just honestly, like I went around this morning to see him Jack Grealish scored a goal the other day

and he's sliding on his knees and he's doing the Jack celebration and he'd be doing the Harlem one at the weekend he's unbelievable. So do you, but you were doing it with Casper Schmichael and Tom Ints and everyone else. Yeah, that's what football is though, isn't it?

Absolutely. We were all the same. Steve, can we finish off with a quick, fire just three questions and Alex wading as well help him along

because I'm sure you will favourite player you played with and I'd imagine you stand turn and gave you a bit of dressing down about how you were as a player Gary Pallister

somewhere smiling greatest player well let me tell you he was the complete opposite to what I was he could run he handled the ball magnificently

absolutely unbelievable balance for somebody six foot four six foot five however he was the craziest big lump that you've ever come across in your life. So the first thing I'd have to do is to just get into

them because if I got him at it I knew then I would make my life a little bit easier because he was such a talent and do you know about Big Pally right when I was younger? He played centre half with him at the United and all the rest of it. I used to, you know the PlayStation Tomb Raider?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. He used to sit in his lounge right and he had a big bottle of coat like this and sweets everywhere and he used to play the suit and the kids we used to ring him when we were stuck on the levels that he talked to threw up on the phone and he was like 32 he's like, what you've got to do is

you've got to do this, you've got to... The last time I spoke to him, by the way, I heard, man, wrong, wrong. I was still doing it. I would never have him down. As a gamer, really? Back in the day, in the 90s. Wow. Yeah. Gary Pallas.

That's amazing. Loved it. Absolutely loved it. And if you ever had a problem and you couldn't get through something or whatever it was, ring Big Pallet. He was an unbelievable. unbelievable, a good player.

And let me tell you one, though, when I first went to United and I was taking his place because he always had a bit of a bad knee and never could train was Paul McGraw. Paul McGraw was, wow, and I used to just look at him and say,

I'm going to replace him. No way. You know, he was that good. You know, when he left United, when he left United, he went to Aston Villa, trained on a Thursday, and on a bike on a Friday,

one player of the year for five years on the spin, And when the player's player of the year in, whenever it was, he was a phenomenal player, absolutely, breathtaking. One of the most emotional things I've ever seen is, obviously Jack Chalton, the late Jack Chalton. I think it was, he had dementia, and he couldn't recognize people. And he just pointed, he kept going, Paul McGrath, Paul McGrath.

There's a video online somewhere, such an emotional. We went to watching play in 94 World Cup House. You know you talk about when you're young and you're getting into football. we went to America to watch the games didn't we? Jack Charton had rang me in 94 before USA 94 to see if I would come and play for Ireland

because he'd found out that my mother was Irish. That was some conversation and I said yeah Jack my mother's Irish why haven't you told me before anyway he asked me would I go and play for Ireland and I was jumping at the chance to go and play in a World Cup and Fergie got wind of it

the very next day you'd better go up and see him and before I got through the door you can forget about this island nonsense I say I take it that to know it would have meant that they'd have been foreign you know you remember back in the day where you'll become foreign if you were Irish

you know in one of the big games yeah yeah one of the big games that I ever played I think it was 95 man you like got stuck or something was they went to Barcelona and it was the foreign player was couldn't play Michael and Cantanard who had like Dennis though with people like that would have been against the matey Barcelona team

in 95 with Steuchkoff and Romario Schmichael and Canton and I didn't play We got beat four, could have been 14 Steve, just on that because I know we've done a lot of your management career and you know it's incredible how long you have managed

and obviously we know you had a brilliant playing career but that lack of an England cap I've got to come back to you because at a time where you were so successful you know on the pitch you talk about that partnership with Gary Pallister You know you're as good as they only got 17 caps I believe. Bobby Robson absolutely

apologised to me out in Portugal one night in front of all the lads when I was playing at Manu. You know, we played Nusaybio's testimonial. And he come up and said and said, I should have capped, which was very, he didn't have to say it. But once Graham Taylor got it,

I knew then I wasn't going to be involved at all. But I have to say it, even under Sir Bobby, he picked Butcher, Mark Wright, Des Walker, all played. I bet they've all got 70, 80 caps. And the only thing in Jobie is, listen, in management, I can understand it now, that the two people who mainly when I was there,

really didn't think I was any better than the ones who were there. So I have to live with it. I have to live with it. It would have been the highlight. If there's anything that would have pleased me more, it would have been to play for your country. You must be amazing, no. But look, it didn't happen.

But, as I said, I've had 45 year in it, which that is probably the only light on it, I suppose. Tell me, favourite player you played with? So we go back to that? Favorite player played with? Robson, he's one of my best mate. so I'm always going to say him, but Robson, Keene, Hints, Scoles, Gigs,

Cantonar, how do you pick one? They're all magnificent. Who do you feel at the biggest impact in terms of? I think the biggest, I didn't realize until I went to Man You of how good Brian Robson was. Brian Robson was absolutely immense. And I would have to probably say him, however, I've never seen anybody walk in to Old Trafford

and I'd been there 10 years. put up the collar and give it the big and like the Frenchman did Antoninard was unbelievable to pull it off what he did was he was some player some man can you imagine if Sir Alex

actually got his way and you'd sign Mick Harford can you imagine Mick Harford was a great player by the way well no they Sir Alex wanted Mick Harford and actually when we did it You know something

Dion Dublin had just broke his leg because you just bought Dion in the summer of that sort of profile something a bit different. Dion was a good player as well, wasn't it? It was a great player. It's amazing football up there. There's moments that Dion and it just so happened

but Cantanar was Oh dear me. You would have been in trouble if Mick had signed because it would have been a Jordie Macomb thing. Yeah. And he's a big boy. I don't think you'd have won that fight, Dad. I'd have been another Abdullah Faye moment. You've got to know when you have... You should have said to Polly, you're on this one, pal. He gave it

one of them ones when we played at Luton one day and he he whacked big Dave Watson who's a big hard lad when I played at Norwich and he had a cut eye and I went over to go and see him Mick was pretending that he was concerned

about him you know and he looking at me turned at me you're next and was like he had me he's so

he's so good Mike don't he's so dry the way even my era and our era would have heard about Mick Harford he was the first team coach

at Wimbledham when I was there as a kid and that one way he used to be buzzing normally to get called over to train with the first team then Mick would just stand there and just look at you and just almost right you're up and you'd just be like absolutely you know what I mean before you get over there

don't want to upset him or you know let him down but a lovely lovely man he's one of them that sort of outside persona you got Eric Cantona instead these are supposed to be quick fire favourite manager you played under I wonder I don't have to say that and do it I don't have to Alex what about you and obviously you can't say

the most obvious, won't it? Favorite manager I were... Uncle Roy? Roy had his ups and downs. Do you know what? Roy did fabulous at Sunderland, though, just before he came to Whipswich. And he was a hero of mine as well.

I was going to leave somewhere to... Someone came in for me when I was at Ape Switch. When I was 23, remember? Oh, yeah. Yeah, 23. Yeah, yeah. When they were trying to sign a few younger... Is this when they signed...

They signed the lad at Cardiff at the same time. Right back. Gunter. Chris Gunter. Yeah, I played with him and I was my contract

running down. Sean Davis. Yeah, I was on a Bosman. I was 22, 23 I think I played 60-70 games

and Harry said come in and be fourth, fifth choice and then Roy came in and was, what you want to go there for you're not going to play?

You can be my captain and just staying and I was like when he's got your hero in front of year he was like yeah, no problem Roy, done.

But the best one do you know who I really thought was great and I didn't work with him for a long time it was only a short period of time. went on loan to Lester

Nigel Pearson I thought was really good He's another one of them Character character He had a good way about him Good persona I tell you he was amazing To work for

Just because of his status In the game Giovanni Trappetone When I worked with Ireland It's like the Italian Godfather isn't it Yeah That's thrown one in there

Oh wait wow He was a real It was a real experience Working for him Tactically He was unbelievable His sessions were just So precise

in particular in everything that he did. Steve, the final one for you is two questions which we're going to merge into one, but I want you to divvy him up. The favourite player you've managed and your best signing? A difficult one. Me on a free.

I'd love to say this on National Radio Al, but unfortunately, you're not there, son. Your mother, your mother, your mother, your mother will kill me now for not saying it, but I'm going to go for it. I signed a Frenchman called Christoph Dughery who was very similar to Cantona and I got wind of it there he had a row and got a phone call

of an agent called Rob Seagel still going now and said would you take Christoph Dughery we were in a relegation fight at Birmingham at the time I says Christoph Dughery isn't going to come to us you know we're third bottom of the league we'd just been promoted we're third bottom of the league He was a second season in.

So he's going to come to us. He said, well, listen, I think he would do, you know. And he said, anyway, he ringed me half an hour later. So he's on a, he's on a plane to Birmingham. I said, wow, anyway, pick him up. And it was just at the time where we rented that mill all, you know, that house. And me, good lady, wasn't in. So I've got Christoph Dugher.

He's sitting next to me, saying, right, okay, we'll go to our house. And I make him a cup of tea. And the only biscuits I could find, your mother's favorites, by the way, was the rich tea you know she likes the rich tea biscuit and they're pretty awful if i'm there anyway anyway i give them the spiel and say christoph it's a really great club and it's a really special and it's a really heart of the club and he'd be an absolute hero here and give them all anyway after an hour he said uh i'll sign as quick as that so he fantastic anyway he went home and come back two days later and signed but before he left he said uh i'll sign Steve not

problem he said I have to say the biscuits or shit sorry on Christmas Day and that was and that was Christoph you know he was and for six month six month he was it's good in real I have to say of all of all the teams

that I've watched you manage that blue side was so enjoy that blue side in the atmosphere when they first got in the Premier League do remember the night when when you bring up an uncleman made Is that the inkleman? Yeah yeah yeah But the performances he put in as an individual,

I've never seen a guy lift a team like it. He was amazing to watch. Do you know at the end of the season? End of the season, he had done four months with us. David Sullivan broke the bank and gave him something like 60,000 a week or whatever. Back 20 year ago, it was a colossal summer money. We played. He wasn't quite the same the second year.

The novel had wore off. The novelty had wore off a bit, yeah. And we played at Aston Villa, and I took him off. And I think I brought Stern John on, and Stern John scored, and we equalized in the last minute, to get a draw at Villa. And then the dressing room afterwards is elated. And at the corner of my eye, I seen Dughery sitting there

with his face, like a smack backside. And I thought, oh-oh, next Monday comes in, contract, rips it, and I'll just rip the contract, look. It right in front of me. Christoph, I'm sorry I didn't want to take you off I shouldn't have took And he was gone within 9, 10 months

And but the six months He was absolutely fabulous Turkey this year, boys What's on the menu? You know what? Mum always does a big joint of ham as well Doesn't she Christmas? Can't be a big gammon, yeah, yeah, yeah

Lovely. Although I do believe we are going out This Christmas Day We've just had another little grandson And he will be only four weeks old and we thought this year we're going to give grandmother time off from the cooking, she does it every other week. She's nursing at the minute, my mum, so she's having Christmas off.

She's going to give a Christmas off, and then, so we're going to go out and have dinner out on Christmas Day. There was me hoping that sort of, you know, Steve Bruce and Steve Bruce's son would go, oh, let's put it together, let's do it ourselves. Absolutely not. I wouldn't be careful. You getting a gamble. I was hoping we spoke about the invitations, you know, reaching out to friends and that

Christmas, listen, if you want a family of four, let me know, mate. I'm going to the in-laws this year, first time in a couple of years. I'm on my way up to Manchester, so if there's room at the table, I'll be. There's always room, as? As? Absolutely. More than merry. Absolutely. We better make a big room. Hey, I'm here. I'm here.

There might be a fight. Were you two over the turkey? I'll do a Mick Arthin on you. We better get that quick before these two big boys are coming. I'll do a micaw. I eat a lot more than I used to, I've got a fair. Boys, it's been an absolute pleasure. Yes. Thank you so much. It's been so good then Bruce is at Christmas. Thank you.

We're going to see you back in the dugout? Oh, I really, you can never say now. I've just seen Martin O'Neill look do it and enjoy it. You can see it, eh? Brought him back to life again. I'll never say never, but I probably doubt it. I probably doubt it. Oh, great to see you.

Good to see you. Good luck over Christmas with Talford City. Thank you. Thank you very much, joining us. Steve, we'll hopefully see you again back at five. Jobes. Thank you as ever. Happy Christmas, everybody.

That is it for this episode of the Football Daily. The next one will be our Boxing Day. preview as for us here on 72 plus have a very very merry christmas and please join us for a hat trick of eFL around the ground on five life sport over the festive period tune in boxing day afternoon monday the 29th and on new year's day we'll see you then go on steva ah you won't it's the first thing i've won in right david we need you need to put on the hat you need to be reading the joke i don't think what i don't think you'll get a hat that fits uh that head to be honest that Unless you've got special crackers made.

By the way, by the way, they're that cheap. There's not a hat in here. There's no hat? No, I'll. Hang on a minute. Hang on a minute. Oh, look at that. It reminds me.

It reminds me a Liverpool, and they used to call me Fatted. But 15 years, I used to sing, Steve, Bruce got a big fattened. And one day it was raining. And I put me hood up. And they all started clapping and applauding. And I thought, why did I do that 15 year ago? Was that he ever all that abuse, by the way. But there you go.

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