‘Would be a travesty’ – Exclusive: Bruce makes Leeds & West Brom claim amid BBC reveal
Alex Bruce insists that Leeds United and West Brom must be promoted to the Premier League if the current Championship season is to be cut short.
The former Leeds and Hull defender, speaking exclusively to Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge, says it would be a “travesty” if the Whites and the Baggies are not rewarded for their efforts.
A leaked recording, obtained by the BBC, has revealed that a potential 23-club Premier League has been discussed among senior figures if the current campaign cannot be completed.
Football Insider has since revealed that such a proposal is unlikely to gain traction due to opposition from current top-flight sides.
However, Bruce has thrown his backing behind an expanded Premier League for next season, admitting
Bruce told Football Insider: “Obviously, for anyone connected with Leeds United it’s a big worry for them because they’re right on the brink. For Leeds fans, getting back in the Premier League is something that they’ve been waiting to do for years.
“The fact that they’re so close to doing it now, it would be a travesty to snatch it away from them at such a late stage because it looked like they were going to do it. It would be the same for Liverpool and winning the league after not winning it for so many years.
“For me, if they’re going to shut down the league, it would only be fair the top two teams in the Championship should automatically go up and just have two extra teams in the Premier League next season and allow four or five to be relegated or something like that.
“West Brom and Leeds have been the two outstanding teams and for me it looked like they would be the ones to go and get promoted.”
Leeds top the Championship table by a single point, with second-placed West Brom six points clear of Fulham in third.
While Brentford and Nottingham Forest are four points clear of Preston in sixth, there are just three points separating Alex Neil’s men and 11th-placed Swansea City in the hunt for the final play-off spot.
In other Leeds United news, it can be REVEALED that Newcastle’s takeover spells bad news for the Elland Road club.