Steve Bruce: Hard work can ensure Aston Villa's young stars don't flush their dreams away

As a player, Bruce was a no-nonsense centre-back who won three Premier League titles during a glittering decade at Manchester United.

Far less well-remembered is the manner in which he battled his way to the top, having begun his career at Gillingham, where many were quick to write him off.

Sitting proudly on the toilet wall of Bruce’s home is a scouting report, presented to him by Alex Ferguson as a leaving gift on his departure from Old Trafford in 1996.

He explained: “One of United’s scouts had come to see me play when I was at Gillingham.

“It reads: ‘Bruce moved from the back into midfield because he had a head injury.

“'Rather slow on the turn. Technically, not very good. His left side is awful. Can’t run. Not the biggest.

“’For me a Third Division player all his life – that’s his level!’

“And that’s what Fergie presented me with as a going-away present.

“That hangs proudly in my toilet where people can have a look at it and think: ‘Oh my God, how good was that?’

“It just shows you. If you roll your sleeves up, have a go, get on with it and get yourself in the best nick you can – and anything can happen.”

That is the message Bruce will continue to deliver as he attempts to transform an ageing playing squad into one with youthful promise.

He added: “I never criticise anyone for making an individual error. All I’ve asked of any of my teams over the years is roll up your sleeves, put your boots on and have a go. And if they do that I’ll forgive anything because basically, that’s what I did.

“I put my boots on and I had a go - I wasn’t blessed with anything naturally.”

Last season saw Villa plump for experience, a strategy which brought them within 90 minutes of a return to the Premier League.

The arrival last month of new majority shareholders Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens has seen a shift in approach, with Bruce admitting there is a conscious effort to make the squad “younger and more energetic”.

John McGinn, a £2.75million capture from Hibernian, is the benchmark. Villa would also ideally like any loan deals done this month to be with a view to permanent moves next summer.

“It’s fair to say because of the financial restrictions last year we were not going to get many 23 or 24-year-olds, which we would all like,” said Bruce.

“Last year that ageing squad nearly got us there. We were within a whisker of getting there. But I think the way forward is with younger players.

“The new have said we want a younger outlook to us so we can make something grow. That always takes time. Of course that is a big issue, time in football. But that is the aim at this moment in time.”