900 games as a player. 9 seasons and 12 trophies at Old Trafford. 900 games as a manager. 4 promotions to the Premier League. 1 brilliant autobiography. Theatre of Dreams is Steve Bruce's riveting autobiography. It will enthral fans of both Manchester United and English football generally with its absorbing assessment of Sir Alex Ferguson's tenure at United, and with its insightful portraits of United greats from Bryan Robson, Peter Schmeichel, Eric Cantona and Roy Keane, to Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham. Bruce was already a seasoned centre-half when Ferguson signed him for United in 1987. He spent nine seasons in Manchester in a period that sparked the club's dominance of English football, and he has a great many fascinating things to say about that phase of his career. Theatre of Dreams contains insights and stories galore that speak to the character, training methods and man-management techniques of Ferguson and the culture of success he created within the football club, giving United fans an unparalleled assessment of life at Old Trafford at that time. Bruce is now a manager with nine clubs and over 900 matches to his name. In his later chapters he provides an intriguing assessment of the changing face of football management. He discuss topics such as scouting, training methods and facilities, salaries and contracts, transfers and the transfer window, playing styles, the football media, fans' expectations, incessant pressure, the threat of relegation, the influx of foreign players, player power, agents, boardroom politics, and the England team. It all adds up to one very thoughtful, stimulating and highly entertaining football memoir.

Author Biography

Born in Northumberland in 1960, Steve Bruce played for Gillingham and Norwich City before being signed by Sir Alex Ferguson for Manchester United. He quickly became Sir Alex's captain and talisman, leading United to three Premier League titles, two FA Cups, one League Cup and one European Cup Winners' Cup. Bruce became a true Old Trafford legend in his 9-year spell in Manchester. His playing career finished with Birmingham City and Sheffield United, after which he managed the latter, then Huddersfield Town, Wigan Athletic and Crystal Palace. A six-year spell in charge of Birmingham City brought two separate promotions to the Premier League. Bruce took the reins at Wigan Athletic for two years, keeping them in the PL, then Sunderland for a further two years. He is now manager of Hull City, has already achieved one promotion to the promotion to the PL, and is currently chasing another.