SINCE penning a two-year deal to join his father Steve at Hull City in the summer, Alex Bruce admits life has been pretty close to being perfect both on and off the field.
Despite needing to win over the sceptics having been signed by his father, Bruce quickly settled into life at the KC.
Winning the respect of both his team-mates and, crucially, the City faithful, he has established himself as a key member of the Tigers squad pushing for promotion to the Premier League.
His impressive performances have brought an international call from Northern Ireland, winning his first cap against Malta last month, whilst off the field he became the proud father of a baby girl.
Now, only one thing could stand in the way of completing the perfect year, and Bruce is determined the end of the Championship season won't prove to be his one regret.
"This year has gone great. It couldn't have gone better on and off the pitch really," Bruce told the Mail when reflecting on his time in East Yorkshire.
"Obviously, it would be nice to get us over the finish line now, as we don't want the disappointment in the summer of saying we came so close.
"We want to get the job done and hopefully we can look back on what we have achieved when it is all done and dusted.
"We have got to keep a level head, but hopefully we can get over the finish line and maintain that automatic promotion push."
When level heads are needed, Bruce has proved the man for the job.
Whenever his father has needed to shore up his City side and look for extra steel in midfield, it has been Alex he has turned to and asked to do a job.
Bruce has responded on each occasion and, having played a key role in helping City to shut out Burnley on Monday to pick up a vital 1-0 win, he says he will be more than happy to resume the role against Nottingham Forest today.
"It is not my favourite position to play, and obviously if someone asked me my favourite position I'd say centre half, but on the other hand I really enjoy it in there, I like it," Bruce told the Mail.
"You are obviously involved in the game a lot more, attacking and defending, but primarily I think when I do play in there I am there to do a job on someone who is playing in the hole, or is playing off the front, and is an attacking threat.
"I enjoy it, though, and as long as I can do a job for the team then that's the main thing."
With just nine games remaining, Bruce admits every contest will be a 'battle', starting this afternoon with the Championship's form side.
But having returned to the automatic promotion places this week, Bruce says City must thrive on their destiny being back in their own hands.
"Every game is going to be a battle but there are nine left and we are going to go into it full steam ahead," he said.
"It's in our own hands, and our home form is certainly going to be key.
"We have got some of the teams that have done well at home and some teams that are struggling away from home.
"Forest have some good players and Billy Davies has gone in there and given them a boost and they have had some good results, so we know it's not going to be an easy game.
"But, fingers crossed, we can maintain our good home form, and if we can we can get the three points."
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