Alex Bruce has stated that ‘the buck stops with me’ after Rotherham United were dumped out of the EFL Trophy at the hands of Newcastle United‘s academy side.

In what was a record-low attendance at the New York Stadium, the Millers fell to the young Magpies, knocking them out of the competition with just two points to their name, coming from their penalty shootout win over York City.

Bruce Ready To Fight Back

The loss condemned Rotherham to their tenth straight match without a win, in a run which has the South Yorkshire side staring down the barrel of another relegation battle.

They face some respite with a FA Cup fixture against League One strugglers Bromley, which is poised to see Bruce face off against his former Salford City boss in Karl Robinson.

However, increased pressure is mounting on the 42-year-old following this latest string of results, with fleeting reports that Robinson could replace him in the dugout at the New York Stadium.

When asked by the media about potentially facing the sack, Bruce was ready to try and turn around his side’s fortunes. (Quotes via Yorkshire Post):

“It’s not about me. If there’s a fight to be had, I’ll have it, but I know the buck stops with me.

“As I’ve just said to the players in the dressing room, to win football matches, you have to show a little bit more than that. If we are going to get out of the trouble that we’re in, we need to start showing a bit more than we did.”

Can Bruce Survive Winless Stretch?

Rotherham’s recent future has already descended into chaos, but with this latest winless stretch, it could be argued that their entire existence is at threat if they cannot turn the ship around.

Fan opinion has rapidly soured on owner Tony Stewart, and with willing investors waiting in the wings, now should be the time for the once-loved chief to hand over the reins to a fresh face.

But before that happens, there could be a major decision to make in terms of the on-the-field staff with Alex Bruce.

The result against Newcastle United only exemplified how far the Millers have fallen as of late, and with a certain opportunity to put themselves into the latter stages of the EFL Trophy, they have failed to qualify.

While some may view Bromley as a free hit given the focus is now rapidly shifting to survival, the pivotal game will be against a similarly struggling Crawley Town the following weekend.