Bruce bemoans boo-boys

Steve Bruce was “saddened” to hear Birmingham fans jeering their own side in this afternoon’s 1-0 Coca-Cola Championship victory over Stoke.

Blues were again indebted to the goalscoring skill of Gary McSheffrey, who lifted his side back into second spot in the table with his 16th goal of the season.

After watching the stocky winger seal the game 19 minutes from time with a first headed goal since his summer arrival, Bruce said: “We have won the game, gone second in the league with two games in hand and it is still not good enough.

“What I have witnessed and experienced today has saddened me a little bit.

“But I will get on with it and keep my mouth shut. We have got a lot of young lads and they need help, not booing and jeering.

“We have tried to rebuild the team and they need the help of the supporters. Unfortunately, it was very, very difficult for them.

“I plead to everyone who supports the club to get behind the team. “It was a 1-0 win and we will take it. We are second and there seems to be a crisis for whatever reason, which can’t be right.

“I am paid well to try and manage the club. But I have to say I deserve more respect than to have people shouting ’you don’t know what you doing’ when you make a substitution.

“That was upsetting. I understand their frustration. I will go with their frustration but I can assure everyone it does not help. There does seem to be an air of despondency around our place and I have to lift that.

“We have to get back on track and everybody from the top to the bottom has to pull together and say ’come on then, let’s make a genuine promotion challenge if we can’ rather than thinking we are in a relegation battle sixth from bottom.

“Other results have gone for us, we have won and gone second, and this is why I can’t understand the reaction of the fans.

The issue arose when Bruce sent on Sebastian Larsson for Stephen Clemence.

Bruce revealed that Clemence was suffering with a calf injury.

“What have I got to do? Hang up a board stating Clemence is nursing an injury!” Bruce said.

In front of their lowest crowd of the season, Birmingham were far from impressive, with the turning point coming when Bruce finally drafted in newcomer Rowan Vine and Larsson.

They finally broke the stalemate in the 71st minute. Nicklas Bendtner produced a high cross from the right which found McSheffrey at the far post to head past Steve Simonsen.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis bemoaned the absence of Lee Hendrie and Salif Diao, saying: “ I was disappointed. We should have got something from the game.

“The played exceptionally hard but we lacked that little bit of good fortune. We didn’t take the opportunities we created and that was the difference. We badly missed Hendrie and Diao. That little bit of quality in our side was missing.”