Steve Bruce: I'm resilient enough to ride the storm at Aston Villa

The manager heard portions of the travelling support call for his head during Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Blackburn.

Despite Conor Hourihane’s stoppage time free-kick snatching a point, Villa have now gone five Championship games without a win and Bruce is facing up to a potentially pivotal few days, starting with tomorrow night’s home game against Rotherham.

The 57-year-old is confident his team will eventually come good and said: “I’m trying and I’m determined to see it through.

“You know what I’m like. I’m a resilient old t***. At these particular moments, that is what you need to be.”

Saturday’s defeat kept Villa 12th in the table, still just five points off the top and Bruce expressed some frustration at again finding his position under scrutiny.

The manager once more pointed to the club’s tumultuous summer off the field, which meant he could not sign any players until August 1, as a reason for Villa’s indifferent form.

He said: “They are all excuses and I understand that but it’s been a tough job.

“When you are manager of Aston Villa and you are trying to build a squad in three weeks, four weeks it’s not going to happen.

“We missed out on a left back, two centre-backs. I could have brought someone in for the sake of it but I had to be patient myself. I know what I’ve got here and what we’ve put together and we will be there or thereabouts given time.”

He continued: “If you’re manager of Aston Villa you come under the pump. The disappointing thing for me is that I’m always a week away from a crisis. For the sake of the club that has to change but I’m big enough to understand it.

“We’re starting again and the vast majority (of fans) will understand that. The ones who want me to leave anyway, I can’t do anything about it.”