Macc's £13m man is a nice Brucie bonus

IN football, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Or, in the case of Alex Bruce, who turns up to your weekly kickabout.

-  CHRIS DUNLAVY

Every Tuesday night, the Macclesfield boss gets together with a star-studded collection of former pros for a game of nine-a-side in neighbouring Cheadle.

“Stevie Ireland was the instigator and it started out as a WhatsApp group of about five or six people,” says Bruce, referring to the former Manchester City and Aston Villa midfielder.

“Now it’s about 20, and some of the names in that group… you’ve got Papiss Cisse, Phil Bardsley, Danny Drinkwater, Dale Stephens. Wes Brown plays now and again.

“One week, there was a back four of Antonio Valencia, Wes Morgan, Joleon Lescott and Danny Simpson – that’s four Premier League winners there.

“It gives a few old codgers like me the chance to burn a few calories and clear their heads. And no matter who you are and what kind of career you’ve had, it’s still better than slogging away on a treadmill, isn’t it?”

One recent admission to this exclusive group was Oumar Niasse, the former Senegal striker who in 2016 completed a £13.5m move from Lokomotiv Moscow to Everton.

Which is how, after a dismal fouryear spell at Goodison Park and equally barren stints at Burton Albion and Morecambe, the out-ofwork 33-year-old ended up signing a short-term deal to play for the Silkmen in the Northern Premier League, Premier Division.

“I got to know Oumar at the Tuesday game and I could see straight away that he still had plenty to offer someone,” explains Bruce, who wrapped up the deal on Thursday.