December 10 2001

Steve Kember

Steve Kember insists that Palace are "not trying to put one over on Steve Bruce" when they travel up to play Birmingham on Tuesday night.

Bruce is expected to take charge at St Andrews after the game and Kember, who is currently assistant to former Blues' boss Trevor Francis, hasn't taken his departure personally.

Kember said: "We're not trying to put one over on Steve Bruce by beating them, we're just trying to win for Crystal Palace.

"I felt disappointed more than let down when he left. We had got a good thing going and I think if we could have carried on we would have gone from strength to strength.

"It was just an unfortunate thing the Birmingham job came along when it did."