Ex-Sheffield Wednesday & Leeds United man lands League Two job after non-league managerial stint

Former Sheffield Wednesday defender Alex Bruce has joined League Two side Salford City as a first-team coach. Bruce had been in charge at non-league side Macclesfield, but he has made the decision to step up to the Football League and join Karl Robinson's coaching staff at the Peninsula Stadium.

The 39-year-old joins the Ammies immediately and he will be working to prepare the side for this weekend's trip to Mansfield Town, who are pushing for automatic promotion in the fourth tier. Salford have struggled for traction this season and while they are yet to taste defeat under Robinson, who took the reins at the start of January, they remain 19th in the League Two table.

"We’re delighted to have Alex join us here to expand our coaching staff, on the recommendation of Karl who was keen to bring him in," Salford's director of football Ryan Giggs said. "Alex will bring a lot of football experience with him and we’d like to welcome him warmly to the club."

Bruce does have limited Football League coaching experience, having briefly worked under his dad, Steve, at West Bromwich Albion after hanging up his playing boots. He spent just four months in charge of Northern Premier League Premier Division side Macclesfield, who he leaves sitting fifth in the table.

The former Wednesday man made nine appearances for the Owls back in 2005 after joining the club on loan from Birmingham City. His game time was limited at Hillsborough but he did start the club's final five games of the season as they progressed through the League One play-offs and won promotion with a 4-2 win over Hartlepool United at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

Bruce went on to have notable spells with Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Hull City, Wigan Athletic and Kilmarnock before calling time on his playing career in 2020 and again in 2022 after a brief spell as a player at Moss Rose.