Football
Peter O'Rourke, Transfer correspondent 8y

Steve Bruce leaves as manager of Hull City by mutual consent

Manager Steve Bruce has left Hull City "by mutual consent,'' the Premier League club have announced.

Bruce led the Tigers back into the Premier League last season with victory over Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship playoff final after relegation to the Championship in 2015, but his future has been the subject of speculation all summer due to the uncertainty over the ongoing takeover at the KC Stadium.

The 55-year-old, who held "informal" talks with the Football Association over the vacant England job before the FA hired Sam Allardyce, has had his hands tied in this summer's transfer window due to the uncertainty regarding the club's ownership.

Hull's current owners are currently trying to sell the club but talks over the takeover have been put off until September, placing more question marks over Hull's plans in the transfer market.

Midfielder Tom Huddlestone's comments on Twitter also appeared to call time on his four-year tenure at the KC Stadium earlier on Friday.

Bruce's son, City defender Alex, received farewell messages for his father from a host of well-wishers on his Twitter account and responded: "Thanks for all the nice messages I'll pass them on."

Bruce addressed speculation about his future last month when he said in a club statement: "As far as I am concerned, it is business as usual.

"It is simply not correct that I have been told I cannot sign any players as reported in the media this week. We are already looking at potential targets."

Hull have yet to bring in any new signings this summer as they prepare for life back in the Premier League and Bruce has been left frustrated in his bid to strengthen his squad.

Chairman Assem Allam, who missed the trip to Wembley after undergoing surgery, has been in takeover talks with two American consortiums and the club announced this week that those had been put on hold to allow them to prepare for life back in the top flight.

But no major new signings have been made and Bruce's frustration at the club's failure to strengthen their squad has grown with goalkeeper Allan McGregor, Michael Dawson, Moses Odubajo and son Alex all ruled out through long-term injury.

Allam first put the club up for sale in 2014 after the FA rejected his bid to change their name to Hull Tigers and due to ill health has delegated the day-to-day running of the club to his son and vice-chairman Ehab.

Bruce signed a new three-year contract in March 2015 and is the most successful manager in Hull's history.

His coaching career began with brief assignments at Sheffield United, Huddersfield, Wigan and Crystal Palace but he put a reputation for itchy feet behind him during a largely successful six-year stay at Birmingham, who he also led to the Premier League on two occasions.

He went on to manage Wigan again and then Sunderland, who sacked him in November 2011, before he was appointed as Nick Barmby's successor at Hull in June 2012.

Hull launch their new Premier League campaign at the KC Stadium on Aug.  13 against champions Leicester.

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