"It's always the time when managers are sacked. How often does it happen? It gives the clubs two weeks to get a new manager and it always seems to happen then.

"All of us, say, 'Let's get through that first one in September'. You usually get away with that one. October is a bad month, and this flaming one at the end of November is awful."

Watford's Javi Gracia is the only Premier League managerial casualty to date this season, but a total of 17 men have lost their jobs in the top four divisions, and that is a source of disappointment for Bruce.

He said: "I always feel for the ones at the other end because everybody thinks there's a roundabout that you get back on, and some people work extremely hard, do all their badges, do everything properly and then get one crack at it and it doesn't quite go their way and all of a sudden, they're looking at a different profession.

"I always look at that and think it puts people off and certainly when I was younger, I didn't adapt to that very well. I just used to spit my dummy out and walk out, basically.

"I don't know how many have gone this year. Seventeen? There you go, it's ridiculous – and by Christmas, there'll be another 17 as well, so it's tough, it's a tough gig."