Alex Bruce

Infobox Football biography


playername = Alex Bruce
fullname = Alexander Stephen Bruce
height = height|ft=5|in=11
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1984|09|28
cityofbirth = Norwich
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Ipswich Town
clubnumber = 5
position = Defender/Midfielder
youthyears = ? –2001
2001–2002
youthclubs = Manchester United
Blackburn Rovers
years = 2002–2005
2004–2005
2005–2006
2005
2005
2005
2006–
clubs = Blackburn Rovers
→ Oldham Athletic (loan)
Birmingham City
→ Oldham Athletic (loan)
→ Sheffield Wednesday (loan)
→ Tranmere Rovers (loan)
Ipswich Town
caps(goals) = 000 0(0)
006 0(0)
006 0(0)
006 0(0)
006 0(0)
011 0(0)
058 0(0)
nationalyears = 2006
2006
2007–
nationalteam = Republic of Ireland U21
Republic of Ireland B
Republic of Ireland
nationalcaps(goals) = 005 0(0)
001 0(0)
001 0(0)
pcupdate = 18:52, 30 December 2007 (UTC)
ntupdate = 13:03, 25 May 2007 (UTC)

Alexander Stephen "Alex" Bruce (born September 28, 1984) is an English-born Irish international footballer who currently plays for Ipswich Town. A central defender who occasionally plays in midfield, he is the son of Wigan Athletic manager and former Manchester United defender Steve Bruce.

Club career

Bruce was born in Norwich. He joined Manchester United's Academy, but was released at age 16 [cite news
author = Colin Tattum | title = Bruce signs son | work = Birmingham Mail | date = 2005-01-27 | url = http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birmingham/news/tm_objectid=15123360&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=bruce-signs-son-name_page.html | accessdate = 2007-05-25 ] and moved to Blackburn Rovers as a trainee. He signed his first professional contract there in 2002, and was part of their under-19 team which won the FA Premier Academy League in 2002–03. [cite news
title = Academy boys top of class | work = Lancashire Evening Telegraph | date = 2003-05-14 | url = http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/2003/5/14/552018.html | accessdate = 2007-05-25 ] He made his first team debut on December 26, 2004 against Hartlepool United, while on three months' loan to League One Oldham Athletic, and was part of the team that beat Manchester City in the FA Cup on January 8, 2005. He signed on a free transfer for Birmingham City, where his father was manager, on January 27, 2005, [cite web
title = Bruce signs son from Blackburn | publisher = BBC | date = 2005-01-27 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/4212667.stm | accessdate = 2007-05-25 ] shortly after Robbie Savage's controversial move [cite web
title = Savage seals switch to Blackburn | publisher = BBC | date = 2005-01-19 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/4174217.stm | accessdate = 2007-05-25 ] in the opposite direction.

After finishing his loan spell at Oldham and going back to his parent club he joined Sheffield Wednesday again on a loan until the season's end, and was instrumental in their rise to the play-off places. Having impressed Tranmere Rovers boss Brian Little during Rovers' trip to Oldham, Little swooped for a loan deal which encompassed the first half of the 2005–06 season, but the loan was terminated early by mutual consent. [cite news
title = Bruce Jnr set to return to Blues | work = Birmingham Mail | date = 2005-10-27 | url = http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/sport/tm_method=full%26objectid=16300436%26siteid=50002-name_page.html | accessdate = 2007-05-25 ] [cite news
author = Lorraine Rogers (Tranmere chairman) | title = Handle with care.. the fragile ego of the loan star | work = Liverpool Daily Post | date = 2005-11-10 | url = http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0550tranmereroversfc/0080news/tm_objectid=16353326&method=full&siteid=50061&headline=handle-with-care---the-fragile-ego-of-the-loan-star-name_page.html | accessdate = 2007-05-25 ]

Bruce made a few appearances for Birmingham following his return, but could not stop the club being relegated to the Championship. It was felt that accusations of nepotism were hindering his progress, so it was decided that in the best interests of club, manager and player Bruce should pursue his career away from his father's management. [cite news
author = Ian Clarkson | title = Bruce Jnr heads for fresh fields | work = Birmingham Post | date = 2006-08-03 | url = http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/sport/tm_method=full%26objectid=17511083%26siteid=50002-name_page.html | accessdate = 2007-05-25 ] [cite web
title = Defender Bruce heads to Ipswich | work = BBC | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/ipswich_town/5241558.stm | date = 2006-08-03 | accessdate = 2007-05-25 ] In the summer of 2006 Alex moved to Ipswich Town on a free transfer, signing a three-year contract. [cite web
title = Alex Bruce | publisher = Ipswich Town F.C. | url = http://www.itfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10272~30895,00.html | accessdate = 2007-05-25 ]

After a very successful start to his Ipswich footballing career he managed to collect over 10 bookings this meant a suspension of 2 games for the player. Bruce became very popular to the Town fans thank to his whole hearted display and never giving up attitude. He has been very versatile and has also been used as a defender successfully. It was due to these credentials that in the early throes of Summer 07 he was called up as a international player by the Republic of Ireland .

International career

Qualifying through his Irish grandmother, Bruce was eligible for international football for both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as England, where he was born. He was called up by Northern Ireland U21s, but opted to play for the Republic of Ireland U21 instead, [cite web | title=Bruce wants to play for Ireland | work=RTÉ | url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/0130/bruce.html | accessdate=23 August | accessyear=2006 ] and made his debut for the team against Sweden in February 2006. [cite web | title=Under 21 - 2006/2007 Squad Profile | work=FAI | url=http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=921 | accessdate=August 23 | accessyear=2006 ] He also represented Republic of Ireland B against Scotland B in November 2006. [cite web
title = McPhail and Stokes impress as Ireland fail to take their chances | publisher = Football Association of Ireland | date = 2006-11-14 | url = http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1436&Itemid=9 | accessdate = 2007-05-25 ]

On May 23, 2007 he made his full international debut in a friendly match against Ecuador played at Giants Stadium, New Jersey. [cite web
title = Seven players win their first senior caps for Ireland against Ecuador | publisher = Football Association of Ireland | date = 2007-05-23 | url = http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2068 | accessdate = 2007-05-25 ]

He has been named captain of the Ireland team to play Nottingham Forest in a challenge match at Dalymount Park on 09 October, 2008. [cite web | title = Alex Bruce to captain Republic of Ireland team in challenge match against Nottingham Forest | publisher = Football Association of Ireland | date = 2008-10-08 |url = http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3675 | accessdate = 2008-10-08 ]

References