New Blackpool boss gives his verdict on what he's seen from the Seasiders

The 63-year-old, who has signed a two-year deal with the Seasiders, has over a week to prepare for his first game in charge of the Fylde Coast outfit, with Exeter City visiting Bloomfield Road on September 14.

Bruce has been out of work for just under two years, after being sacked by West Brom back in October 2022.

The former Manchester United defender has plenty of his experience, coaching over 1000 games, with the likes of Birmingham City, Wigan Athletic and Hull City also among the teams on his CV.

In recent weeks, Bruce has been keeping an eye on Blackpool while they’ve been playing under interim boss Richard Keogh.

“They could’ve easily won the three games (I watched),” he told the Seasiders club media.

“There’ll be a little bit of fine tuning along the way. I’m looking forward to getting back to work, getting on the training ground, and working with the players - hopefully helping them to improve.

“I’ve seen that they’ve given them the weekend off so I’m not going to disturb them, but looking forward to getting up and starting.

“I’ve come here to try to take the fans where they want to get back to, and I appreciate their support. They are a very loyal fan base, so we’re blessed with that. Hopefully we can give them something to shout about.”