Pulis backs Bruce for Manager of the Year

The Crystal Palace manager is thought to be among the front runnners having rescued Crystal Palace and securing them in the Premier League for more than a season for the first time.

Pulis replaced Ian Holloway in October as Palace sat bottom of the league with just four points to their name, but they will head into the final weekend of the season 11th, having passed the 40-point barrier courtesy of a win at Everton last month.

Liverpool counterpart Brendan Rodgers, who has taken the Anfield club from seventh to a title challenge in the space of a season is also a frontrunner.

Bruce has also enjoyed a successful campaign with Hull, keeping the promoted outfit in the top flight as well reaching the FA Cup final, where they will face Arsenal at Wembley on May 17.

Their presence in the Wembley showpiece also guarantees a first campaign in Europe for Hull next term - they will compete in the UEFA Europa League.

And Pulis is under no illusions who should be handed the award: "For an unfashionable club like Hull, keeping them in the Premier League and then getting them to the FA Cup final is absolutely fantastic.

"Sean Dyche at Burnley and Russ Wilcox at Scunthorpe have done wonderfully as well.

"It is the mangers who haven’t got the resources that the other managers have got but who have been successful in their own ways.

"I think it is nice sometimes to look a little bit further than the people at the top of the tree."

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