Former Newcastle United defender Bobby Moncur has urged the Magpies faithful to back new manager Steve Bruce.
Bruce, who most recently worked at Championship club Sheffield Wednesday, took charge of Newcastle after penning a three-year contract this week.
The 58-year-old, along with assistants Steve Agnew and Stephen Clemence, has joined up with the team in China, who will face West Ham on Saturday in what will be Bruce's first match as Magpies boss.
Not many Newcastle fans have expressed their delight at the arrival of the Englishman, but an array of former players have backed him, while Moncur feels he deserves credit for answering the challenge.
The 74-year-old, who played for the Magpies for 12 years between 1962 and 1974, is currently with the team and believes that the fans should get behind Bruce with the Premier League season starting in less than a month's time.
"Steve has come in and he knows he wasn't first choice", Moncur told the Chronicle.
"At the end of the day he is the guy who had the gumption to take on the challenge.
"It is a massive challenge.
"Everybody knows it is a very difficult job and regardless of what people might think and you have to get behind him now."
Bruce has had a journeyman existence as a manager, with spells in charge of no fewer than ten different clubs, including Newcastle's rivals Sunderland.
