While the Mike Ashley era at Newcastle United was hardly one of free-spending, the final few seasons of it really took that to the extreme.
With Steve Bruce constantly reminding us all that his job was solely to keep Newcastle ticking over in the Premier League, Ashley appeared to take even less interest than he ever had previously.
Indeed, for a while, Joe Willock was the only player the club actually signed.
Brought to the club on loan in February 2021, the midfielder impressed by hitting quite frankly ridiculous scoring records. As such, the club sanctioned a £25m deal to bring Willock to St James’ Park on a permanent basis.
Joe Willock says Steve Bruce was instrumental in Newcastle transfer
At times during that break between his loan stint and the permanent deal, it was far from certain Willock would come back to Newcastle.
Obviously, a deal eventually got over the line and now Willock has shared some more insight into what brought him to Tyneside long-term.
“When the talk of a permanent move started I wasn’t sure, you know,” he told the Daily Telegraph.
“The fans probably made that decision easier but also Steve Bruce. He really fought to bring me here, he was great for me.
“We had loads of conversations on the phone that summer. I wasn’t valued at Arsenal, that became clear. When I had a meeting with them, it was obvious they wanted me to go. Yeah, it hurt.”
One good thing about Bruce’s reign
No matter what you feel about Bruce, convincing Willock to commit to the club was undoubtedly a positive thing.
Although the midfielder may not have hit the scoring rate he had previously, Willock remains a key player under Eddie Howe.
A major part of a successful Newcastle team right now and even tipped to play for England, this small part of Bruce’s legacy has helped the club in the long run.
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