Newcastle United legend Mick Quinn calls for Steve Bruce to resign - and reveals 'pretty outrageous' choice to replace him

Bruce’s position as Magpies head coach came under further scrutiny at the weekend following his 2-0 defeat at former club Aston Villa.

United are without a win in their previous 10 matches and have failed to score in their last eight – with a mere one shot on target at Villa Park a regular theme.

Newcastle fans are desperate to see the back of Bruce, with supporters group Wor Flags showing their discontent outside of St James’s Park on Saturday night.

Former striker Quinn agrees with fans that the 60-year-old needs to go, believing Bruce’s men have become “relegation fodder”.

“I think Bruce should resign," the 58-year-old told talkSPORT. "I think he's been pretty rigid the way he’s played this season. It’s not adding up.

"What I’m trying to say to you is, I’ve got nothing against Steve Bruce at all. I played against him, he’s a good lad, he’s a good manager at certain clubs but he cannot get the best out of these players now.

"I called it even when they 10 points clear of the relegation zone, they were on that slippery one and it didn’t look good.

"It’s just been dragging on and dragging on, it’s just going to drag on because I think they are relegation fodder at this moment in time.

“The comparisons to Rafa and Rafa’s style but what Rafa did was make them very organised, not expansive going forward but very organised and hard to beat.

"I think for Newcastle, they’ve got to get back to that in some ways but to win a football match, you’ve got to score a goal and they don’t look like doing either.”

Bruce will take charge of tomorrow’s Premier League match with Leeds United – and could have another coach in the dugout with him.

Former Luton Town manager Graeme Jones looks set to join Bruce’s backroom staff as a first-team coach, assisting Bruce, Steve Agnew and Stephen Clemence.

That suggests Bruce’s job is under no immediate threat, news which will disappoint United fans and Quinn as they call for change.

Quinn’s call for change includes that of Howe, who has been out of work since leaving Bournemouth last summer after their drop to the Championship.

Despite the Cherries’ relegation, Howe did keep the South Coast club in the top-flight for five seasons and Quinn is keen to see the 43-year-old take the role at St James’s Park.

He added: "My choice, and it’s pretty outrageous, would be, if Bruce does resign or goes, is Eddie Howe.

"With Bournemouth, although they went down, he kept that Bournemouth team in the Premier League by playing decent football.

“People were critical when they said they were relegated because they played too much football but he’d be my choice to come in.

"The football would be a bit better and he knows what it takes to stay in that league, although he suffered relegation last season.”