As he prepares for Saturday's Premier League trip to Norwich, he knows there are some dissenters he may never win over, although having had to leave his native north-east to get his chance as a player with Gillingham as a teenager, he is confident the tenacity he has shown throughout his career will serve him well once again.

He said: "I'm from here, so it steels you. You have to be tough at school, otherwise you get picked on. Your whole upbringing from the north-east gives you that determination.

"I've never had it easy. I'm prepared to work hard and have a go, that's always been my philosophy. I'll have a go, have a crack and won't be frightened of anything."

Thousands of supporters stayed away from last weekend's opener against Arsenal and the reaction to a 1-0 defeat, in some quarters at least, was less than favourable with the fracture in the club's relationship with elements of its fanbase all too apparent.

Bruce said: "That's my biggest challenge. Can I try to repair that? Can I try to help in this situation Whether that is possible, time will only tell."

The former Manchester United defender has never been afraid of a challenge, and is acutely aware of the value of time in football, a lesson he learned as a Norwich player when his debut against the great Liverpool side of the 1980s started in disastrous fashion.

Bruce said: "It was a full house, 30,000, 90 degrees. They attacked down the left-hand side, crossed it after 30 seconds and I thought, 'I can head that'. Boom, straight in the top corner, OG. I thought, 'Oh, that's not a very good start'.

"Twenty minutes later, [Kenny] Dalglish turned Dave Watson. I was getting towards the goal and he bent it into the top corner and I thought, 'I can head that'. Boom, I headed that one in as well, so I have got two OGs after 20 minutes.

"But I'm still in their Hall of Fame and in their best ever XI, so I've just been told, so there you go."