Steve Bruce's time on Tyneside is coming to an end - If relegation doesn't seal his fate, we will

I was asked yesterday whether I thought Bruce would get sacked if we lose to Brighton. It would certainly make a desperate situation almost unrecoverable. Given that we’ve not won any ‘winnable’ games of late, a defeat at Brighton may well tip even Mike Ashley over the edge.

However, my answer was a truly short no! I'm afraid I don't think they are going to sack him until its mathematically certain we're down.

For a football club as ‘big’ as Newcastle to get relegated with all that’s going on off the pitch would be a footballing disaster. Not least for its undying, devoted fan base. They would just not deserve such a fate. But it’s looking more likely by the game - even if Fulham's loss last night gives us a slither of hope heading into tonight's six-pointer.

So, for me Bruce will be gone if we are relegated - that seems clear given survival is the essential part of Ashley's unambitious remit. We could then get the new man in as soon as possible so they can have time to look at what’s needed and how to sort it. If anyone can of course!

If we don't go down – on my knees praying right now as I type - I think he'll leave early into the new season, if not in the summer. He’s surely proved to everyone that he can’t take a Premier League Club forward and he'd be reminded of that when fans are allowed to return to St James' Park.

Let’s get one thing clear survival WOULD NOT be a success or cause for celebration. Survival should not only be a seasonal guarantee for our great Club it should be a certainty and we should never be in that position with the resources at our disposal.

I was told that many fear Ashley would see him as ideal for the Championship if we went down as no one has more promotions! Really....are we really going to think about that after all that has happened or perhaps not happened in the last 18 months or so?!

Furthermore, I just can't see how he can stay in charge if and when fans are allowed back in! Can you imagine what the atmosphere would be like? Talk about toxic! I actually think he might not even be sacked but because of fan’s feeling would walk with a secret payoff. Bruce constantly bemoans his luck, yet in truth he's the luckiest man on Tyneside to have had 12 months without fans - because I am certain an overwhelming 'BRUCE OUT' chant would've made Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley see sense a little sooner!

I could be wrong and he might be here to stay - even in the event of relegation - but surely Ashley and co. MUST know that it would turn nasty and that can't happen when there has to be a feel-good factor / momentum put in place to give us any chance of getting promoted if we go down.

There’s no doubt that whatever division we’re in fans would make up for lost time and vent at him for either taking us down or almost taking us down with all the negativity that has abounded ever since his appointment. I suspect he'd also blame relegation on injuries and COVID if the worst did happen, not his awful management, which would only deepen fan frustrations.

Either way, he has to go and for me he'd a dead man walking. Can you imagine what will happen if we're allowed 10, 000 in our final home game against Sheffield United? Especially if we need a win to keep us up or with a chance that we could stay up. Would the fans forget about Bruce and get behind the team? That will be an interesting conundrum!

Go down and he has to be sacked because of miserably failing to meet his requirements. Survive and if fans are back at SJP they’re going to make their feelings known and speed up the decision that should've happened months ago. One of the reasons he's not been sacked is because there's been no fans to show how sick they really are!

Right now, it would be SO toxic at SJP if it weren’t for COVID! Leave him in charge whatever division we’re in would be another sad chapter in our tragic history under him. That’s why I’m even trying to find solace in the thought of relegation. Surely it must happen one way or another.

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