West Brom boss Steve Bruce says he shelved retirement plans after the way he was dismissed by Newcastle United.

Bruce was sacked from his role as Magpies boss in October after over two-years in the dugout at St. James' Park.

He said: “I couldn't finish my managerial career on what happened at Newcastle. I'd taken too much stick - I was being ridiculed and there's nothing worse. You can accept it if you've picked the wrong team. But I was being pulled to pieces because people were saying I couldn't take a warm up - that I'd given the players too many days off.

"I knew what the team was doing on the pitch wasn't what Newcastle United fans wanted. And I knew they were fed up. They wanted change.

“But I had a brief to keep the club the Premier League and we finished 12th and 13th in my two full seasons. I knew we weren't entertaining or attractive to watch. I'll hold my hands up.

“We were pragmatic, defensive, I did what I had to do. Would the sale to the new owners have gone ahead of the club was in the Championship? I'm not so sure."