Newcastle United managing director Lee Charnley has rubbished claims that Steve Bruce was the Magpies' eleventh choice manager and insisted that he was always in the club’s thinking.
Bruce, a boyhood Newcastle fan, left Sheffield Wednesday to become the new manager at St. James’ Park during the summer.
Rafael Benitez walked away from Newcastle after his contract expired at the end of the season and Charnley was handed the task of finding a new manager for the club.
There were suggestions that Bruce was way down the pecking order at Newcastle and possibly the eleventh name on their shortlist when they started searching for a new manager.
The Newcastle managing director rubbished such suggestions and insisted that story has been fabricated and is disrespectful towards the club’s new manager.
Responding to suggestions that Bruce was the eleventh choice, Charnley told the Chronicle: "Nonsense. Absolute garbage.
"That was a complete fabrication.
"It is disrespectful to Steve and it was done to try to create negativity around him.
"It is completely false."
He admits that the club did consider other options, but insisted that Bruce was always a manager on their radar, especially because he has a link with Newcastle.
"The reality is we went through a comprehensive and extensive process.
"Steve was always somebody who was in our thinking.
"But you have to explore every option."
