Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce admits he wishes his Mum and Dad were still alive to see him take charge of the Magpies.

The Geordie, 58, lost both Joe and Sheenagh within a few months of each other last year.

He said: “My mum would have burst into tears, she would have been so proud. And my dad would have said 'are you sure you know what you're doing son?'

“For all the family I've still got in the North East, I'm sure they will be as proud as punch.

“For any Geordie, if you can't play for them, then to manage them it's something special.

“If I had my time back, I would have gone in 2004 when Bobby Robson left. I never thought the opportunity would come again.

“No matter how difficult, no matter how much s*** I'm going to have to deal with, I had to have a crack at it."