7 Premier League Stars That Newcastle Allowed To Slip Away

7. Steve Bruce

A dyed in the wool Geordie and a boyhood Newcastle fan who used to gain entrance to St James' Park on match days by sneaking under the turnstiles to watch his beloved Magpies. It's a little surprising that Bruce, a midfielder at the time, never went on to emulate his black and white heroes after being rejected by Newcastle despite turning out for Wallsend Boys club during his youth. As it turns out we weren't the only professional club to give a thumbs down to Bruce and he was due to start work as an apprentice plumber at the Swan Hunter dockyard in 1979 before Gillingham offered him a trial. It was at the Priestfield Stadium that Bruce reverted to centre back at the behest of Bill "Buster" Collins, head of the Gills' Youth Scheme, and it proved to be a masterstroke that would mould his future career. As we know Bruce would later go on to captain Manchester United to three Premier League titles and become the first English player of the twentieth century to skipper a team to the Double in 1994.