Newcastle veteran Steve Howey has claimed that Magpies boss Steve Bruce would have believed he was living on borrowed time at Newcastle, following his side’s crushing 3-0 defeat against relegation rivals Brighton.
Howey, who featured in over 150 games for Newcastle, believes there was a widespread expectation that the defeat was the death-knell for Bruce’s tenure at the club.
Separate reports in the Chronicle detailed how the dressing room was shocked at the Newcastle board’s decision to retain faith in the Tyneside tactician, expecting a regime change following the loss.
Howey believed it was not just the implications of the loss that were unnerving, but the manner of the Magpies’ performance.
Speaking to FootballFanCast, the ex-Magpies man claimed:
“Football is all about results. So even he would have thought he could be in trouble here unless he’s had prior conversations with the owner.
“I think every fan thought Bruce would be in trouble and as I’ve said, it wasn’t just necessarily the defeat that was the issue.
“I think it was the all-around performance and the lack of anything really to try and turn it around.”
The result leaves Newcastle just one place above the relegation zone, separated by just two points from 18th-placed Fulham.
Newcastle head to central London at Craven Cottage on the final game of the season in what is a definitive six-pointer for both clubs.
Should the present trajectory of both clubs continue, the clash has the potential to decide who will and who won’t be playing in the Premier League next season.
As a result, the desperate need to improve and widen the gap between the clubs only exacerbates the validity of Howey’s claims as a sense of urgency sets in at St. James’ Park.
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