Steve Bruce appointment at Wigan hit by cash wrangle

Nov 21 2007 By Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

STEVE Bruce's appointment as Wigan Athletic manager was sensationally put on hold today.

Embarrassed Wigan used the press conference they had called to officially unveil Bruce to explain - in part - why he wasn't actually there.

Chief executive Brenda Spencer called the scenario 'bizarre' - she was flanked by empty seats on the podium - but said Wigan hoped the matter would be resolved.

What has scuppered the switch is believed to be a row over a financial clause in Bruce's Blues contract, with Bruce and the board each claiming the other owes a sum of money running into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Apparently Bruce threatened to turn up for work at Blues as normal if he didn't get his way, while Blues pointed out to him that he hadn't actually resigned yet anyway and they were firmly in the right.

Bruce had verbally agreed a four-year contract with Wigan owner Dave Whelan, but it has gone unsigned, Spencer confirmed.

The stumbling block is nothing to do with the £3 million compensation for Bruce from Wigan, nor  Eric Black's future.

Spencer said: "We have just got to sit tight and hope that something happens and it will be resolved.

"It's an issue between Birmingham and Steve. I'm not at liberty to say what it is.

"He hasn't signed a contract with us yet, that was supposed to happen this morning.

"But he remains our number one choice of manager, we definitely want him and he definitely wants to come to Wigan."

Spencer said that Whelan was 'very upset' by the twist.

"He was hoping to have a contract signed and Steve appointed today."