Bruce signs new Birmingham deal

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce has agreed a new five-year contract which will keep him at St Andrews until 2009.

Bruce’s decision ends speculation linking him with other clubs, most notably Manchester United, with whom he enjoyed such success as a player, and his hometown club Newcastle.

Under Bruce, Birmingham finished 13th in their first season in the Premiership in 2002/03 and improved to 10th last season.

"It secures his future and also overcomes any speculation linking him to any other clubs,'' managing director Karen Brady told the club's official website, www.blues.co.uk.

“The working relationship between Steve and the board is fantastic and the new deal is designed to reward him for that.

“He has many more years ahead of him at Birmingham and all our plans and player choices are based around Steve staying here as manager.”