West Brom announce Steve Bruce reunion ahead of 2025/26 Championship season
Steve Bruce did not have a successful time during his stint at The Hawthorns.
The former Newcastle United and Aston Villa manager had built a reputation in the Championship for getting clubs promoted into the Premier League.
However, at West Brom, Bruce never got close to achieving this goal.
After less than a year in charge, the Englishman was sacked with the Baggies in the relegation zone.
Now, The Hawthorns faithful are set to reunite with their former manager ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
West Brom to face Blackpool in pre-season friendly
Ahead of their upcoming Championship season, West Brom have announced a series of friendlies.
This will be the first chance Baggies fans will have of seeing Ryan Mason in the dugout, as well as any potential signings the West Midlands club makes between now and then.
West Brom (5 June) announced that their first pre-season friendly will be against Bruce’s Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.
| West Brom’s pre-season schedule so far | Date |
| Blackpool v West Brom | Saturday, July 19 (ko 3pm) |
| Lincoln City v West Brom | Saturday, July 26 (ko 3pm) |
The League One outfit finished ninth this season under the former Baggies manager.
Following this, Mason will be on his travels again as he takes on Lincoln City at the LNER Stadium.
The Imps also had a successful season in their third tier and finished 11th in the table.
Competitive start for Ryan Mason at the Baggies
So far, the friendlies announced by West Brom are smart. Both Blackpool and Lincoln will give the Baggies a test but are unlikely to capitulate.
This is exactly what Mason needs to assess this squad, with both games likely to be competitive.
Hopefully, West Brom can now organise a match against a significant opponent who will provide a challenge for the Baggies.
The 2025/26 campaign will be tough to get into the play-offs with the quality coming into the division.
Yet, if West Brom can have a good pre-season, a top-six finish is possible.