STEVE BRUCE has revealed he was stunned in his first managerial role – after including Dean Saunders in the starting line-up only for him to be SOLD before kick-off.
The three-time Championship promotion winner, 65, headed into the dugout for the first time as player-boss at Sheffield United.
But, ahead of facing Bristol City in December 1998, Bruce found himself in a nightmare position and had to throw his pre-match plans out of the window.
The Manchester United legend was ready to task Saunders with firing the Blades to all three points.
And he was left in absolute shock when the striker revealed he had just been given the green light to complete a move to Portuguese giants Benfica.
Bruce told talkSPORT: “We’re playing Bristol City away and he’s due to play. I haven’t played for a few months and I’m the player-manager.
“I could hear him walking down the tunnel, walking down the hotel and this was about an hour (before leaving).
“He was whistling away, singing away and I said, ‘Dean, we’re not leaving for another hour, why have you got your bags?’
“He said, ‘Nobody told you?’ I said, ‘Told me what?’ He said, ‘I’ve just signed for Benfica’. I said, ‘What? Just signed for Benfica?’ He said, ‘Yes, I’m on the half past three from Heathrow’.
“He says, ‘Thanks ever so much Steve, it’s a pleasure to meet you’, and walks out through the door and I thought, ‘Who am I going to call?’
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“That was my first job in management and I thought, ‘Wow, wow, what do I do about this?’ And I found it very, very difficult I have to tell you.”
Saunders, who had already notched ten goals in 23 appearances under Bruce, sealed his switch to Benfica three days later.
And Sheffield United went on to suffer a 2-0 defeat at Ashton Gate, courtesy of a Mickey Bell penalty and Ade Akinbiyi adding his name to the scoresheet.
Bruce has gone on to take charge of more than 1,000 games – thanks to spells in charge of the likes of Wigan, Birmingham, Sunderland, Hull, Aston Villa and Newcastle.
A whopping 477 of those showdowns came in the Premier League, leading to 133 wins.
But Bruce has been without a managerial job since being sacked by Blackpool last October.
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