This is what Steve Bruce really 'hates' amid fan criticism at Newcastle United

Bruce, without a club after Kilmarnock last month, has opened up on the “toxic” abuse aimed at his father near the end of his tenure at Aston Villa, where one fan threw a cabbage at him.

The 59-year-old has also come under fire at Newcastle United, where he succeeded Rafa Benitez last summer.

And Bruce, 35, told Joe’s Liquid Football podcast: “I look at my dad sometimes, and I see it when he gets beat. He takes the responsibility of the players and the club, and it’s like he takes it on his shoulders.

"You can see it in them. People think they get paid good money, so it is what it is, but I think a big thing now is the influence of social media.

"You’re getting slaughtered on there as well, and the family members get involved.

“My dad hates it, and would never get involved on social media. But these are all things people don't see behind the scenes, and it’s tough.

"There are a few times it can turn toxic. I look back on the experience of my dad at Aston Villa. It got toxic in the end, and there’s the famous incident where the fella throws the cabbage at my old man.

"Me and my dad are similar kind of characters, and we actually found it quite funny at the time.

“But really when you look at it, it’s not really, especially when you see your sister upset, your mum upset, and my kids now look at things on the TV and ask 'why are they shouting, why are they saying this about grandad?'.

"We just have to get on with it and try and explain it to the kids and have a thick skin.

"There’s a lot of highs in football in management and playing, but you have to be prepared to take the s*** as well."

Bruce got involved in an online argument with a journalist who had criticised his father’s tactics early this season.