Alex Bruce
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alexander Stephen Bruce | ||
| Date of birth | 28 September 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Norwich, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Playing position | Defender Midfielder |
||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Ipswich Town | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| ?–2001 | Manchester United | ||
| 2001–2002 | Blackburn Rovers | ||
| Senior career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Apps (Gls)2 | |
| 2002–2005 | Blackburn Rovers | 0 (0) | |
| 2004–2005 | → Oldham Athletic (loan) | 6 (0) | |
| 2005–2006 | Birmingham City | 6 (0) | |
| 2005 | → Oldham Athletic (loan) | 6 (0) | |
| 2005 | → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | 6 (0) | |
| 2005 | → Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 11 (0) | |
| 2006– | Ipswich Town | 102 (1) | |
| National team3 | |||
| 2006 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 5 (0) | |
| 2006 | Republic of Ireland B | 1 (0) | |
| 2007– | Republic of Ireland | 2 (0) | |
| 1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13:52, 15 April 2009 (UTC). 2 Appearances (Goals). |
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Alexander Stephen "Alex" Bruce (born 28 September 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 Sunderland AFC manager and former Manchester United defender Steve Bruce.
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[edit] Club career
Bruce was born in Norwich. He joined Manchester United's Academy, but was released at age 16[1] 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.[2] He made his first team debut on 26 December 2004 against Hartlepool United, while on three months' loan to League One club Oldham Athletic, and was part of the Oldham team that beat Manchester City in the FA Cup on 8 January 2005. He signed on a free transfer for Birmingham City, where his father was manager, on 27 January 2005,[3] shortly after Robbie Savage's controversial move in the opposite direction.[4]
After finishing his loan spell at Oldham and returning to his parent club, he joined Sheffield Wednesday again on 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.[5][6]
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.[7][8] In the summer of 2006 he moved to Ipswich Town on a free transfer, signing a three-year contract.[9]
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 early summer 2007 he was called up as an international player by the Republic of Ireland.
His form continued and this led to scouts from Italian club ACF Fiorentina looking at the player in November 2008.[10]
Alex Bruce scored his first goal for Ipswich, away to Birmingham City, happening to be one of his former clubs, on Tuesday 24th October. The defender ended speculation he would leave Town on a free transfer, by signing a new two year contract on Monday 11th May, with the option of a further twelve months.
[edit] 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,[11] and made his debut for the team against Sweden in February 2006.[12] He also represented Republic of Ireland B against Scotland B in November 2006.[13]
On 23 May 2007 he made his full international debut in a friendly match against Ecuador played at Giants Stadium, New Jersey.[14]
He captained the Ireland team which played Nottingham Forest in a challenge match at Dalymount Park on 9 October 2008.[15]
[edit] References
- ^ Tattum, Colin (27 January 2005). "Bruce signs son". Birmingham Mail. http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birmingham/news/tm_objectid=15123360&method=full&siteid=50002&headline=bruce-signs-son-name_page.html. Retrieved on 25 May 2007.
- ^ "Academy boys top of class". Lancashire Evening Telegraph. 14 May 2003. http://archive.thisislancashire.co.uk/2003/5/14/552018.html. Retrieved on 25 May 2007.
- ^ "Bruce signs son from Blackburn". BBC. 27 January 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/4212667.stm. Retrieved on 25 May 2007.
- ^ "Savage seals switch to Blackburn". BBC. 19 January 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/4174217.stm. Retrieved on 25 May 2007.
- ^ "Bruce Jnr set to return to Blues". Birmingham Mail. 27 October 2005. http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/mail/sport/tm_method=full%26objectid=16300436%26siteid=50002-name_page.html. Retrieved on 25 May 2007.
- ^ Rogers, Lorraine (chairman, Tranmere Rovers F.C.) (10 November 2005). "Handle with care.. the fragile ego of the loan star". Liverpool Daily Post. 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. Retrieved on 25 May 2007.
- ^ Clarkson, Ian (3 August 2006). "Bruce Jnr heads for fresh fields". Birmingham Post. http://icbirmingham.icnetwork.co.uk/birminghampost/sport/tm_method=full%26objectid=17511083%26siteid=50002-name_page.html. Retrieved on 25 May 2007.
- ^ "Defender Bruce heads to Ipswich". BBC Sport. 3 August 2006. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/ipswich_town/5241558.stm. Retrieved on 25 May 2007.
- ^ "Alex Bruce". Ipswich Town F.C.. http://www.itfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10272~30895,00.html. Retrieved on 25 May 2007.
- ^ Football Spy (12 November 2008). "Ipswich defender Alex Bruce could be on his way to Italian side Fiorentina". Daily Mirror. http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/11/12/ipswich-defender-alex-bruce-could-be-on-his-way-to-italian-side-fiorentina-115875-20888591/. Retrieved on 12 November 2008.
- ^ "Bruce wants to play for Ireland". RTÉ. 30 January 2006. http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/0130/bruce.html. Retrieved on 23 August 2006.
- ^ "Under 21 - 2006/2007 Squad Profile". Football Association of Ireland. http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=921. Retrieved on August 23 2006.
- ^ "McPhail and Stokes impress as Ireland fail to take their chances". Football Association of Ireland. 14 November 2006. http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1436&Itemid=9. Retrieved on 25 May 2007.
- ^ "Seven players win their first senior caps for Ireland against Ecuador". Football Association of Ireland. 23 May 2007. http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2068. Retrieved on 25 May 2007.
- ^ "Alex Bruce to captain Republic of Ireland team in challenge match against Nottingham Forest". Football Association of Ireland. 8 October 2008. http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3675. Retrieved on 8 October 2008.
[edit] External links
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