Former Newcastle United star Keith Gillespie believes Steve Bruce should be given until the end of the season at the club to turn things around, telling Football FanCast that there may not be time to bring in a new boss.

Bruce is under intense pressure at St James’ Park, with the club in very real danger of falling into the Championship.

Newcastle are currently two points clear of Fulham, who are 18th, and they have a remarkably tough run-in.

Bruce’s side play West Ham United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Leicester City and Manchester City in succession, while their next game comes against Tottenham Hotspur.

They need to pick up points quickly if they are to remain in the league but Gillespie believes that there simply isn’t time to bring another manager into St James’ Park, though he does accept that their current system is not working.

Speaking to FFC, he said: “It’s one of them. Nine games to go, can you get somebody in who's going to really turn things around?

“I think, stick with the manager and see what he can do to turn things around.

“The style of football that they have played is clearly not working. They need to have a different approach to games in terms of the formation that they play.”

Gillespie accepts that he has a personal relationship with Bruce, having played with him at Manchester United, and he maintains that the performances of the players simply haven’t been good enough in recent weeks.

Newcastle haven’t won a game since February, when they beat Southampton 3-2, and have gone six games without a victory.

Gillespie added: “I know Steve Bruce from playing with him. I'd love him to turn things around because I think it is tough, being a manager of Newcastle and things aren't going right.

“He is getting a lot of flak at the minute. But only him and the players can sort that out and for me, the players have let him down too because their performances just haven’t been good enough.”