Deja-vu for ex-West Brom boss Steve Bruce as dismal Blackpool spell and sacking mirrors Albion collapse
Former West Brom boss Steve Bruce was sacked by Blackpool on Saturday - almost three years on from suffering the same fate at Albion.
The 64-year-old former Manchester United defender, who has managed over 1,000 games during his time in the dugout - spent almost two years out of the game following his dismissal by Albion back in October 2022.
After being linked to various roles - Bruce returned to management in September 2024 when he took charge of Blackpool.
But just under three years since he departed The Hawthorns, he finds himself out of a job having been axed following Blackpool's home defeat to AFC Wimbledon.
Bruce's time at the Bloomfield Road club, where he faced Albion in a pre-season friendly earlier this year, was longer than his spell at the Baggies.
However, there are a number of strange similarities between both jobs and the manner in which is was dismissed.
Deja-vu for Bruce
Back when Bruce took the Albion job - the club were in the play-off spots - hoping to remain their and make an immediate return to the Premier League.
It did not unfold like that though. West Brom limped to the end of the campaign, winning only a handful of games as they eventually finished tenth in the table.
Bruce took the Blackpool job in slightly different circumstances - just four games into the season.
There was also hopes of a play-off push but they eventually finished ninth in the table last season - with hopes of pushing for promotion the following year.
That sounds similar to how Bruce went into his first pre-season as Albion manager. With a summer to bring a few players in - Albion went into the season as one of the favourites to push for the play-offs.
However, it didn't go like that at Albion and the situation was very similar at Blackpool.
At Albion, after making a handful of summer signings, they endured a dreadful start to the season. Of the first 13 games, they won just once and picked up just eight points, a start that left them sitting in the relegation zone and second bottom of the Championship table.
It was Albion's lowest league position in more than two decades.
At Blackpool, the tale sounds all too familiar. They lost seven of their first eleven Championship games - and on Saturday evening they were sitting second bottom of the League One table when Bruce was sacked.
The manner of his last two spells in charge are frighteningly similar. He did manage almost double the amount of games at Blackpool compared to what he did at Albion - but the way it panned out will have no doubt evoked bad memories for the well travelled manager.
