Alan Hutton isn't surprised by Newcastle United players throwing their support behind Steve Bruce.

The club's prospective owners reportedly want to replace Bruce with a high-profile manager, but the players want the Englishman to stay.

Hutton, who played under Bruce at Sunderland and Aston Villa, told Football Insider: "I just see him as a father figure, he's always there for you – he tells you from day one: 'My door is always open, I'll never hide anything from you, I'll tell you the truth if that's what you want.'

"You can go see him any time you want, you can phone him, I'm talking about he's that sort of guy. He reminds of Walter Smith and those type of people, he really looks after his staff and he protects you also.

"There's been numerous times where there's been stuff happening in the changing room or arguments or whatever and he'll always protect you in the press no matter what. He's such a good guy and it doesn't surprise me the players there have really taken to him.

"Everyone at Aston Villa loved him, when I was at Sunderland all the boys loved him so it's not just a one-off thing, that's just the guy that he is, a top, top guy."