Steve Bruce admits it will be a 'proud day' when he leads out Newcastle United at Old Trafford tonight.
Bruce, a boyhood Newcastle fan, takes his Magpies side to Manchester United on Thursday as he returns to a stadium where he enjoyed 10 successful years as a player.
The 58-year-old won 12 major trophies during his time with the Red Devils and he will return today for the first time as manager of his hometown club.
And pride will be his overriding emotion when he takes to the dugout at 5:30pm this evening.
“Yes, it will be a proud day. We've just been saying the last time we did the double over them was 1931 (under the club's first ever manager Andy Cunningham)," Bruce told reporters ahead of the Boxing Day clash.
“Wow, wow. I had ten great years there - half my playing career and it was a pleasure to captain them for best part of five years. Great times.
"It is that long ago, I can hardly remember. Different generation, 23 years since I left but always great to go back."
At one stage, Bruce was considered as a possible long term successor to Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United - given his attachment to the club.
Bruce's managerial career has never really hit the heights required to warrant a crack at managing the Red Devils, though, and he insists managing Newcastle, after not turning out for them during his playing career, is as good as it will ever get for him.
“When I got the phone call here I thought that is it, that is as good as I’m going to get, it’s as good as it gets for me," he added.
"Everybody associates me with Man Utd because I had ten years there, for those who can remember. Of the younger generation, they don’t care who I am.
"How many Geordies have managed this great club of ours? For that, I’m very, very privileged. A bit like Andy Carroll to be centre forward of Newcastle. I was never quite good enough as a player, but certainly as a manager I am going to make a fist of it."
Newcastle head to Old Trafford knowing they can overtake the Red Devils in the Premier League table with a win.
Bruce is confident his side can return to haunt his old club but he is wary of the threat both Paul Pogba and young star Mason Greenwood could cause his side.
“I don't know, they looked all right when Pogba came on, didn’t they? They’ll be upset and disappointed, which is always how they respond.
“They reckon he’s (Mason Greenwood) top drawer, don’t they? They’ve got high hopes for him. It’s amazing they keep producing them.”
