Crystal Palace manager Steve Bruce is leaving Selhurst Park, just five months into the job, to take up the vacant post at Birmingham City following weeks of speculation about his future.
Palace have confirmed that assistant manager Steve Kember and coach Terry Bullivant are taking charge of first team affairs for the game Walsall on Saturday, but insist that Bruce remains manager of the club.
But Bruce did not take training at their Beckenham training ground on Thursday and is believed to have announced his decision to the players and chairman Simon Jordan after the home defeat to West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday night.
The former Manchester United defender ended his playing career at St Andrews in 1998 after two years at the club, and is a big favourite with the fans and board.
At the opening of a Palace club shop in Sutton on Thursday Simon Jordan was adamant that Birmingham could not speak to his manager, but he may now be resigned to negotiating a hefty compensation fee.
He said: "Birmingham will never receive permission to speak to Crystal Palace manager Steve Bruce."
Birmingham chairman David Gold has confirmed that the Blues have approached Palace about talking to Bruce but Jordan turned them down.
Bruce is rumoured to have an escape clause in his three year contract, and, having previously walked out on Sheffield United and Wigan Athletic, is not known for his loyalty in a short and very colourful managerial career.
Bruce joined Palace in August 2001, and after an indifferent start took the Eagles to the top of Division One this month. Kember and Bulli-vant were retained and the 3-5-2 shape they adopted to save Palace from relegation last year, together with a couple of astute signings, saw Palace string together seven league wins in a row.
But despite moving south with his family, Bruce has not bought a house in London, and his recent failure to secure Steve Vickers' signing, not only saw a dip in Palace's form, but raised doubts about the manager's commitment to the club.
Palace fans will be particularly worried by rumours that Bruce is to take first team coach Terry Bullivant with him to Birmingham.
Similarly, Blues fans may well be concerned as to how long their club's relationship with Bruce will last.
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