Bruce kept Latics in the Premier League against the odds, while his former club will be playing Championship football next season after Alex McLeish saw his side finish 19th.

The Wigan chairman moved quickly to snap Bruce up for £3m after much publicized bust-up at St Andrews.
With Birmingham in prolonged takeover talks with Hong Kong business man Carson Yeung, a promised fresh contract never appeared.

Whelan said: "What happened there was a very strange thing.
"The owners had a fall out with Steve. I've always found him a very straight man – absolutely straight down the line.
"He wanted a contract there and they had someone who was or wasn't going to take them over and what went on is between Steve and them.
"But it was a whole mess up and I bet they're regretting it now.

"I'm sure they won't say it because they've got to back the manager they've got.
"I'm sure those two Davids (Sullivan and Gold) down there will be really sorry they lost him because he's a quality manager."

Whelan has revealed Bruce still has a £3m price tag on his head.

"He signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with us and if anyone wants to take him obviously they'd have to repay the money it cost to get him here," said Whelan. "That's normal.
"You can't tie them for life. He's signed a contract and at the end of the contract he'll be entitled to leave just as we'll be entitled to ask him to leave, but hopefully no one will go for him and he'll stay here."

Whelan first worked with Bruce briefly in 2001, before the manager moved to Crystal Palace. Whelan is predicting success under Bruce next season and doesn't think they'll be battling for a third successive year against relegation.
He said: "In the top half of the league is where we belong and that's where I'm happy."