Hull City relegated: Steve Bruce admits 'cuts are inevitable' after dropping out of Premier League

Draw with Manchester United on final day not enough for survival

(Getty Images)

Steve Bruce believes Hull must stomach the sour taste of relegation and rebuild with or without him as manager.

A goalless draw against Manchester United might have been a respectable result at any other time, but the Tigers had to win on the final day of the Barclays Premier League season to stand any hope of survival.

And with the only side they could catch, Newcastle, also winning, Hull's fate was sealed even before the final whistle at the KC Stadium.

Their two-year stay in the top flight is over, and Bruce warned "cuts are inevitable" on the club staff, which could mean players leaving and suggests his own position may be vulnerable.

Owner Assem Allam will want to consider where the Tigers stand, and Bruce knows that could affect his position.

Asked about whether he would want to lead Hull in the Sky Bet Championship, Bruce said on Sky Sports News: "That's not for me, that's for others to decide.

"Cuts are inevitable because we haven't got the finances we have in the big league.

"There's a lot of talking and soul-searching to be done in the next few weeks. It's all bitter and sad at the moment."

He added: "I'm sure there's a few conversations to be had and we'll have to have them in due course."

Bruce expects the misery to remain "for a long, long time", adding: "You're desperately upset with the disappointment and the enormity when it dawns on everybody that we're not in the big league any more.

"It's one of those awful, awful experiences, but it's football and if you're in it the one thing you get is highs and lows, and it's a particularly low time at the moment."

He added: "We all - and me being the manager I have to take the brunt of it - we haven't been good enough.

"I thought at the start of the season we'd have enough to try and make sure we stay in the division. We always know at a club like ours it's going to be difficult but we honestly believed we had enough.

"We haven't done enough - it's as simple as that.

"We can look for all sorts of excuses: injuries, suspensions, this, that and the other, but it boils down to not being good enough and me in particular, that goes for me at the top of that.

"I don't think it's a time now for excuses: I think you have to take it on the chin and take your medicine.

"If you've got anything about you then you have to come back as strong as you possibly can. I'm exhausted at the minute but I'll have a break and see where that leaves us."

PA