Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has revealed how he used to hate new manager Steve Bruce.

The pair were rivals on the field when Quinn was at Manchester City and Bruce was with Manchester United but there was not much of a friendship according to the Black Cats chairman.

"Steve used to get away with murder, because he was a little centre-half," Quinn told The Sunday Sun.

"Referees used to let little centre-halves knock lumps out of me.

"It would be true to say that when you're a blue with a number nine on your back and you're being marked by a red in Manchester with number four on his back, I would be lying if I said I respected him - I didn't like him!"

But Quinn did add that he believes those competitive qualities shown by Bruce will make him successful at the Stadium of Light.

"But that's not a slight - it was because he was so tough, he made life so awkward for you, and he constantly got the referee to whistle and the linesman to get the flag up. He was influential, as you know, that was his game, he was all-action," he added.

"I had a few verbal run-ins with him over time but that doesn't mean now, years later, that I don't recognise his graft and determination.

"I know he'll bring those qualities to his new job here at Sunderland."