STEVE BRUCE has been watching the daffodils appear this week – now the embattled Newcastle United manager wants to see his side’s survival campaign start to bloom.

The Magpies head into tomorrow’s crucial home game with Wolves just three points clear of the relegation zone after suffering back-to-back defeats to Chelsea and Manchester United.

Fulham, who currently sit in 18th position ahead of their trip to Crystal Palace tomorrow, have picked up seven points from their last three games – yet Bruce continues to insist that he is not concerned at Newcastle’s plight.

The United boss admits that the appearance of the daffodils means “the tickly part of the season” has arrived, but remains confident of his own position despite supporters tying up banners outside St James’ Park this week urging Mike Ashley to dismiss him.

And while the battle to avoid relegation to the Championship increasingly looks like a shoot-out between Newcastle and Fulham, who meet at Craven Cottage on the final weekend of the season, Bruce continues to claim that “six or seven sides” remain involved in the battle to avoid the final relegation slot.

“We are coming to the tickly part,” said Bruce. “When the daffodils are up, that is the sign that the crux part is upon us.

“Fulham won two in a week, what a difference that makes. But it is all to play for, and it is not just Fulham. There are six or seven teams looking nervously over their shoulder. Burnley, Brighton are above us – Southampton are having a bad run. We are one of them, but there is a long way to go and all to play for.

“We still have a lead, and it is the accumulation of points over a season. That will not change for me. Can we finish above them? I am quietly confident we can do that. We have to try and get over the line and get as many (points) as we can.

“Is Wolves a must win? It would be nice to win. But with 13 games still to go, that’s a lot. The daffodils are coming up now, and that is the first sign of big games.”

Given the mounting criticism that has been aimed in Bruce’s direction by Newcastle’s fanbase, it has been suggested that the Magpies manager would probably prefer to be playing behind-closed-doors at the moment.

The Premier League is discussing the possibility of rescheduling Newcastle’s final home game against Sheffield United so that up to 10,000 spectators could attend St James’ Park, and while that might result in him coming in for some abuse, Bruce is looking forward to having fans in the stands.

“I think the roadmap out of lockdown is huge for everybody concerned,” he said. “Football without supporters, especially at elite level, is just not the same.”

This week’s St James’ Park banner depicted Ashley holding two joker playing cards featuring an image of Bruce’s head, with the message ‘Stop gambling with our club’. Ashley appears determined to stand by his manager, though, with Bruce equally defiant.

“Did you see Pep Guardiola asked about tactics the other night? His reply to it was, ‘We’re blessed with a lot of money’,” he said. “How fitting it was because you can talk about tactics as much as you like, it’s all about players.”

Bruce also used today’s press conference to hit back at criticism of images that showed him laughing and smiling with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the wake of Newcastle’s defeat at Manchester United.

“I’ve known Ole for 20 years,” he said. “If that’s a bad thing that I’ve smiled with Ole, then unfortunately okay, let it be.”