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Remembering Alex Bruce

Remembering Alex Bruce

I got to shake his hand in the Invincibles a couple of seasons ago. I was shocked at how much he'd shrunk, he was 10 foot tall when I was a yoof 😉 Seriously, I have met many rich and famous/great and good but shaking the hand of the deity known as Alex Bruce was the only time I've been star struck, a genuine honour.
 
Brucey.... My first ever PNE hero... What a goal scorer, what a player... The huge picture of him in the AKTE concourse is tremendous. I had the pleasure of meeting & having my photograph taken with him & Mike Elwiss in the Invincibles lounge a few seasons ago. How much would that pairing be worth in todays market?.... Legends!
 
buckshawwhite said:
Brucey.... My first ever PNE hero... What a goal scorer, what a player... The huge picture of him in the AKTE concourse is tremendous. I had the pleasure of meeting & having my photograph taken with him & Mike Elwiss in the Invincibles lounge a few seasons ago. How much would that pairing be worth in todays market?.... Legends!
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Great player that Bruce was - Elwiss was still, I think, a bit more.
 
I remember Bruce terrifying Spurs back in the day. Absolute natural "Johnny on the spot" goalscorer.

Maguire's goal against Bristol City actually reminded me more of a Steve Elliot goal versus, I think, Millwall, early 80s. There was one where he got the ball on the half way line, back to goal and just turned the 2 central defenders and was away.

Heard on the pod cast that Maguire's boyhood hero was Michael Owen... which makes sense
 
It's very early days but Maguire has made an excellent impression for someone making a big step up. Bruce was not a flair player but there is so much to be said for a player who is in the right place at the right time and who can score around twenty goals per season - it's certainly been something we've been missing since promotion.

I always felt Bruce departed prematurely - I don't recall the reasons but he could have probably done good work for North End for another season or two. Indeed he went to Wigan and did well for them, including scoring against North End at Deepdale a few months later, helping them to win 3-2. There have been a few cases where strikers with good records have departed when we haven't had suitable replacements and that seemed to be the case with him.
 
Brian Gloomy said:
It's very early days but Maguire has made an excellent impression for someone making a big step up. Bruce was not a flair player but there is so much to be said for a player who is in the right place at the right time and who can score around twenty goals per season - it's certainly been something we've been missing since promotion.

I always felt Bruce departed prematurely - I don't recall the reasons but he could have probably done good work for North End for another season or two. Indeed he went to Wigan and did well for them, including scoring against North End at Deepdale a few months later, helping them to win 3-2. There have been a few cases where strikers with good records have departed when we haven't had suitable replacements and that seemed to be the case with him.
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Didn't he leave and then come back? Newcastle ??
 
marsbars said:
Didn't he leave and then come back? Newcastle ??
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Yes he went to Newcastle but it didn't work out - they shoved him on the wing and used Malcolm MacDonald down the middle. He came back to PNE as part of the deal that took John bird to Newcastle which forced Bobby Charlton to resign, I think, as he didn't want Bird selling.
 
Dirty Harry said:
Yes he went to Newcastle but it didn't work out - they shoved him on the wing and used Malcolm MacDonald down the middle. He came back to PNE as part of the deal that took John bird to Newcastle which forced Bobby Charlton to resign, I think, as he didn't want Bird selling.
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All those big names and the only one Ive never heard of is John Bird! Don't remember him at all, mind you it was the 70's and I was in short pants!
 
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