STEVE BRUCE has admitted he has always regretted not accepting the Newcastle United job the first time around after describing how he will do everything he can to win over the club’s sceptical fans.

Supporters are still angry at the way Mike Ashley failed to reach an agreement to keep Rafa Benitez on Tyneside and that was only fuelled by the appointment of former Sunderland boss Bruce.

But the 58-year-old has described how managing Newcastle, who he supported as a boy along with his father, was something he could not walk away from having led his first session as the Magpies’ new head coach in China.

Corbridge-born Bruce, who grew up in Wallsend and played for the Boys Club, never played for Newcastle but has been desperate to fulfil a childhood dream of working at St James’ Park – and he will be in charge of his first game on Saturday against West Ham in the Asia Trophy in Shanghai.

Speaking to nufcTV in Shanghai, he said: “I'm like every other Geordie, I've lived the dream. If you can't play for them, then of course if you're a Geordie, what better thing than to take the number one seat? I'm delighted to have been given the opportunity and I'll do my best.

“I know in some people's eyes, I'm not Rafa and I understand there are big shoes to fill. But believe me, I'll give it everything I possibly can and hopefully prove the doubters wrong.”

Bruce trained with the squad after arriving in China and he revealed he could have managed Newcastle when Sir Bobby Robson was sacked in 2004 during his time in charge at Birmingham.

He said: “The easy thing for me would have been to say no, but at this stage in my career now... Back a few years ago, I regretted it. I regretted it and it lingered around me for years, when Sir Bobby left. To be given the opportunity again, it was simply something I had to take, I had to grasp it.

“I knew it was going to be difficult - as I said, the easy thing would have been to say no. I just hope that people will show the respect, which obviously you only gain by getting a few results and doing the job, but hopefully that will go hand in hand.”

And now Bruce is focused on adding to the squad, with Brazilian Joelinton in his sights following the departures of Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez.

Bruce said: “When you get the call, the first thing you look at is the squad, and of course we're aware that we've lost Rondon and Ayoze, so we're short in that little area and we're working on that.

“But the squad is littered with some very, very good players and that's why it's been able to stay in the Premier League. It's my job now to try to move us forward as best as we possibly can and I'll do my utmost to try to achieve that.”