The links with Bruce had continued for some time but had died down somewhat until yesterday when reports suggested he was flying in for talks with them and that they'd offered him the job.
By this afternoon they were holding a press conference with Bruce having landed his eighth managerial job and with it a return to Yorkshire where he held his first two managerial roles with Sheffield United and Huddersfield over a decade ago.
His last job was at Sunderland but he was the first Premier League manager to be sacked during the 2011/12 season with the Wearsiders struggling at the wrong end of the table. He certainly said all the right things at the press conference, talking about bringing back the Premier League days but did joke that his tan, having just returned from holiday, would not last as long as Phil Brown's.
"I can't wait to get back to work," he said. "I'm delighted to be back."
That leaves Birmingham, who lost manager Chris Hughton yesterday, as the only Championship without a new manager. Paul Ince is one name figuring in the speculation as the next man for St. Andrew's.