Steve Bruce has revealed he considered walking away from football following the tragic death of his four-month-old grandson Madison.
The Blackpool manager opened up about his grief in an emotional interview with The Athletic.
"There were times when I thought about not coming back. I'm sure people would've totally understood but sometimes football has given me a little bit of an escape from it all," Bruce said.
Both Bruce and his son Alex, Madison's uncle, temporarily stepped away from their duties after the death that devastated their family.
Steve Bruce has revealed he considered walking away from football following the tragic death of his four-month-old grandson Madison.
PA
The Blackpool boss described the situation as "the tragedy of all tragedies" in his candid interview.
"It's horrendous that a fine, young, healthy, baby boy doesn't wake up one morning. We'll never come to terms with that. It's agony," Bruce added.
He acknowledged that returning to management may have provided a distraction from his grief.
"Was it a sidetrack to the grief? Possibly. The people here, who I work for, were fabulous and I didn't want to let them down," he said.
Bruce praised his employers for their support during his absence, which lasted "a month or five weeks".
In December, a woman in her 40s was arrested on suspicion of neglect over Madison's death.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman confirmed: "We can confirm an investigation is ongoing and a woman in her 40s was arrested on suspicion of child neglect."
"She was questioned and released on bail pending further inquiries," the statement added.
The tragedy occurred on 18th October 2024 at a private address in Bowdon.
North West Ambulance Service responded to a 999 call at 07:07 that morning.
"One patient was taken to hospital. Two ambulances, a response vehicle, and an advanced paramedic attended the incident," a spokesperson said.
In October, the former Manchester United defender released a statement after laying his grandson to rest.
"On Tuesday we laid my grandson Madison to rest. It's been the worst time of my family's entire lives, and is something no family should have to endure," Bruce wrote.
He thanked everyone for their support during the difficult period.
"I'd like to take this opportunity on behalf of all the family to thank everyone for the tributes and messages from inside and outside the footballing world."
Bruce also expressed gratitude to Blackpool's management for their understanding and support during his absence.
Bruce returned to management at Blackpool last summer after two years away from the dugout.
Since taking charge at Bloomfield Road, he has guided the Tangerines to 15 wins from 38 matches.
The team currently sits 10th in the League One table.
