Police issue an update on what they say was tragic accident as Steve Bruce talks about the loss of his grandson.
Greater Manchester Police have issued a statement regarding the tragic death of Steve Bruce’s four-month-old grandson, Madison, ruling it an accident.
A woman in her 40s was arrested on suspicion of child neglect, but it was confirmed to The Athletic this week that no further action is being taken and the investigation has been concluded.
“There were times when I thought about not coming back.”
In a candid interview, Steve Bruce speaks to @PJBuckingham about the loss of his grandson and how his return to management with Blackpool has helped him cope.
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) March 25, 2025
An infant had been found dead at his home in Trafford, Greater Manchester, on October 18th, 2024.
In an emotional statement released in October 2024 after Madison’s funeral, Bruce said, “On Tuesday we laid my grandson Madison to rest. It’s been the worst time of my family’s entire lives and is something no family should have to endure.”
“I’d like to take this opportunity on behalf of all the family to thank everyone for the tributes and messages from inside and outside the footballing world.”
Following an investigation, the police concluded their probe on March 27, 2025.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “While the circumstances are tragic, we don’t believe any criminality was linked to this death.”
Steve Bruce meanwhile this week reflected on how tough it has been, speaking publicly about the profound impact of this loss, opening up about the ongoing pain and how he nearly stepped away from football altogether.
Madison was the son of Bruce’s daughter Amy and her husband Matt Smith, and nephew of Alex Bruce.
“There were times when I thought about not coming back,” Steve said. “I’m sure people would’ve totally understood, but sometimes football has given me a little bit of an escape from it all.”
“There’s still not a day where it doesn’t affect you,” he adds. “I still find Friday a difficult day because that’s when it happened. Even though it’s a day before a game, when you’re building up, I find Fridays so difficult.
“It’s been the tragedy of all tragedies. Anyone going through the same sort of grief, I feel for them. It’s horrendous that a fine, young, healthy baby boy doesn’t wake up one morning. We’ll never come to terms with that. It’s agony.”
“You become a bit reclusive because people don’t know what to say to you. Everyone from within the game has been in touch to send their condolences and they’ll always start with ‘I don’t know what to say’ and quite right.
“I’d be exactly the same. I’ve had so many well wishes but they’ll know there’s not a lot in life that can happen to you that’s worse. Losing a child is the ultimate in grief, believe me. All these people who are going through similar with a sick child, I used to look from afar and think: ‘How the hell do you cope with that?’ You just have to try and find a way.
“Amy and Matt will have their moments, just like we all do. We just have to try and support them best we can.”
Management has helped him get through the tough time: “Was it a sidetrack to the grief? Possibly. The people here, who I work for, were fabulous and I didn’t want to let them down. They told me to take my time. I was away for a month or five weeks, whatever it was. It probably affected these guys (at Blackpool) as well.
“I didn’t think about football at all for a while. It was that moment when you’re a parent and all that matters is trying to help Amy, Matt and my good lady, Janet. I don’t know how you get through it or what helps you, but maybe time helps you to try and mend. It doesn’t leave you; you just cope. There’s always a reminder around the corner.”
“I’d never been out for more than three or four months,” he said. “I had a lot of offers in the first few months and then the phone goes quiet on you. Then you realise you’ve hit a certain age and it’s a young man’s game.
“The phone might never ring again and, to be honest, I was OK with that. I had every intention of thinking that I’d done my bit, but I missed the everyday environment and the challenge. I needed a purpose.
“That’ll go for anyone coming to retirement age. You’ll get there and wonder if you’re enjoying (retirement) as much as you wanted to. You’re supposed to ride off into the sunset and enjoy the rest of your life but it’s not always that simple.”
He recalls having talks over the vacant Republic of Ireland job towards the end of 2023, and had also been interviewed for the role of Jamaican national team manager, with that job going to Steve McClaren last year.
“The one I was closest to more than any was Jamaica,” he added. “They’ve got very good players and they’ve got a good strong chance of reaching the World Cup. I thought it would be a great challenge. I thought long and hard about it and there was a stage where I thought I was close to getting it. They obviously went down a different direction in the end and gave it to Steve. Fair play to him.”
Bruce considered himself retired as the 2024/25 season began, but the sacking of Neil Critchley at the end of August led to Bruce returning to the touchline in early September. A two-year deal with Blackpool began with the prize for League One’s Manager of the Month after four straight victories.
“The one thing I’m determined to do is to enjoy it,” says Bruce. “I’ve always believed, even to this day, that if you’re happy within your work then it gets the best out of people.
“I took this job because I wanted that reason to get up in a morning and achieve something and that still applies now. How lucky have I been with football? It’s given me a wonderful life. I can’t charge around the training ground like I used to but I’ve got young people around me, Richard Keogh and Stephen Dobbie (Blackpool’s first-team coaches), who are giving me the legs and energy.
“I had to ask myself, ‘Will I still have the enthusiasm for it?’ but what I’ve enjoyed is the honesty of this level. I still enjoy the challenge of getting the club where it wants to be.”
“Management is a little bit different now. We have sporting directors and the role of a manager isn’t the same, when you used to be involved in every last little thing. It’s changed.
“Recruitment in any football club is still key. You need to get that right, that link between a sporting director and the manager. Look at my old club Newcastle. I was delighted for them. Yes, they’ve had money but by God they’ve invested well. They’ve brought in excellent players and that’s the key.”Bruce was badly bruised by experiences at Newcastle and West Brom, the two jobs that preceded Blackpool where personal criticisms stung. Aston Villa, too, was not always much fun once a cabbage was aimed in his direction.
“I still get that buzz on a Saturday afternoon or I wouldn’t be here,” Bruce says. “I still want to win. I was absolutely devastated last weekend against (Leyton) Orient. We deserved to win handsomely and didn’t.
“It was still beating me up on the Monday. At my age you think, ‘Come on’, but it was a pivotal part of the season and had we beaten them it would’ve put us in a really strong position going into the last 10 games.
“We’re close here to having a really decent team. It might not happen this season but as long as the owner wants me to we’ll have another crack next season and see if we can get better. I’ve got it in my mind to look at the summer and having a team that can compete at the top of the division next season.”
Woman arrested over death of four-month old, son of Matt Smith and grandson of Steve Bruce
