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Remembering Alex Bruce

Remembering Alex Bruce

Tark

Tark

The Gentry (RIP)
Joined
Jun 23, 2004
Messages
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Location
Avenham
I wasn't at the Macron on Saturday, but seeing the video of Seani's 2 goals there really reminded me of Brucie - being in the right place at the right time; a skill so difficult to teach. Alex scored the odd scorcher too, but with the added pace of SM we really could have something special on our hands.
 
Regardless said:
Right now, I'm saying he's a cross between the instinct of Alex Bruce, with Nugent's skill thrown in.
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I posted this an hour ago!

Exactly my thought.... Saturday's were classic Bruce goals. Last night's was more Nugent.

For certain, Bruce could make exactly that break from the half way line, and tuck it away, but that was usually when he'd leave the defenders trailing behind him. I don't remember him being the sort likely to score when their centre-halves got goal side. Maguire twisted them inside out... and that's the Nugentesque thing.

Give the lad an improved contract... NOW!

EDIT... when I saw the thread title, you worried me that Brucey was dead!
 
Alex Bruce was before my time so I can't really compare like for like but there's been three occasions so far in Seani' brief Preston NE career when I've thought he could be the striker that fires us to the next level.

1, Okay, it was only a pre-season friendly but the way he took his goal against Burnley showed he knew where the back of the goal was and he wasn't just another clogger from the League of Ireland.

2, His goal against Cardiff, the way he kept his composure and made an extra yard for himself inside the box before firing home.

3, His goal last night, the ball might have bounced kindly for him but it still took pace, skill and composure to beat two defenders and then slot it past the keeper.

For all three of those goals Maguire could have fluffed them by shooting too early or trying to be too clever but he's shown a type of finishing so far that not even Nugent and Fuller showed when at Deepdale.
 
princeinpieces said:
Alex Bruce was before my time so I can't really compare like for like but there's been three occasions so far in Seani' brief Preston NE career when I've thought he could be the striker that fires us to the next level.

1, Okay, it was only a pre-season friendly but the way he took his goal against Burnley showed he knew where the back of the goal was and he wasn't just another clogger from the League of Ireland.

2, His goal against Cardiff, the way he kept his composure and made an extra yard for himself inside the box before firing home.

3, His goal last night, the ball might have bounced kindly for him but it still took pace, skill and composure to beat two defenders and then slot it past the keeper.

For all three of those goals Maguire could have fluffed them by shooting too early or trying to be too clever but he's shown a type of finishing so far that not even Nugent and Fuller showed when at Deepdale.
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He kept it simple...
 
Crikey Seriously thought Brucey had passed away when i read that title!!

in the 6 yard box Bruce was lethal. Outside it not so much so.
 
Now that i have recovered from the initial shock of the title !! Two Brucie goals that stick in my mind because they were scored in similar circumstances, one was at Ewood park after Blackburn had pulverised us for almost ninety minutes,fluffed loads of chances only for Bruce to get what was no more than a sniff in the last five minutes, bang back of the net, my Rovers mates were bloody furious, i didnt stop laughing for days class!! The other one was at Walsall were again he popped up with a winner late on after we had been given the run around on and off the pitch all afternoon happy days!
 
northender0602 said:
Thought he’d popped his clogs with the thread title
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So did I and thankfully not.
One of my all time favourite strikers and named my Boxer Dog after him!!
Any resemblance to Bruce from Maguire can only be a positive thing.
Alex Bruce was a PNE legend and hopefully Maguire is here long enough to warrant the same.
 
I just froze reading the title. Alex Bruce is my all time North End hero and i can see similarities. Back to my toast now phew.
 
Still giggle at him being announced at Walsall as Spruce by the team announcer before start of match. Then whenever he touched the ball there were PNE cries of "Sprucie, Sprucie!" I remember Bruce giggling at that too. Last I heard he became a leisure centre manager in Bamber Bridge. But that was some years ago now and I've heard nothing since. Anybody know how he is doing these days?
 
To me his movement and pace are like Nugent his finishing reminds me of Healy in his pomp. His strength and turn like Aguero. I was saying in another thread surely he will miss chances, as he has a rediculous strike rate since coming back.

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
 
When we did the Scottish pre-season under Pa Broone, I went up to Dundee with a gang of mates.

We visited the supporters club at Dens Park for a pint pre-match, and a lady asked us if we were from Preston ans then she asked if we remembered Alex Bruce???

when asked why, she very casually threw in that she was his sister.......

Fast forward a few years, and we were in the build up to Cardiff 2005, discussions turned to strikers and Bruce's name cropped up again, only for a mate (from Norway!) to produce a picture of Alex sitting in the front room of his student house near Lovat Road in the 1970s/80s.
 
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