Newcastle United confirmed on Wednesday morning that, as expected, recently resigned Sheffield Wednesday boss Steve Bruce would succeed Rafa Benitez in the St. James' Park dugout. 


And, though it was expected, it still prompted quite the, err, reaction on Twitter. For some fans, it was the idea of what could've been with Sheikh Khaled and Rafa Benitez in tandem that was getting them down.

For others, it was simply the prospect of Bruce taking charge, with the only difference being how they framed their disappointment. 


Some evoked William Shakespeare:

Some went for the Pope:

Some went for Geordie Shore:

And some went for a screenshot from a now-infamous Popeyes Cheddar Biscuit Butterfly Shrimp review: 


Others used their own words, though no more than three were ever needed:

Or two words bent into a (premature?) hashtag:

And, for some, just an image (courtesy of the nice folks at 90min, I might add) was sufficient. 

Of course, it wasn't just Magpies followers who were responding to this Bruceshell, especially considering the 58-year-old's former allegiances, which have of course included fierce Tyne-Weir rivals, Sunderland. 


And, obviously, Black Cats fans were quick to let their Tyneside pals know what they thought of the appointment:

In his official statement, Bruce himself admitted he was facing a challenge right from the get-go, declaring: “There is a huge challenge ahead of us, but it’s one that my staff and I are ready for. We’ll roll our sleeves up and we’ll be giving it everything from the off to ensure supporters have a successful team that they can be proud of.”


However, surprisingly, many members of the Toon Army didn't share his expectations for the forthcoming season:

No pressure then, Brucey.