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Bruce plots Hull's Premier League return - but admits there's somewhere he'd rather be
STEVE BRUCE knows where he would rather be at this time of year - and it's not in the midst of a white-hot atmosphere in a £170m shoot-out for a place in the Premier League.
Steve Bruce has achieved promotion to the Premier League three times before
Hull travel to Derby in the Championship play-off semi-final knowing they blew a golden chance of automatic promotion.
The end-of-season lottery gives them a chance to seal their place back in the big time in the most exhilarating way on a never-to-be forgotten day at Wembley. But Bruce would much rather be enjoying a cold beer on a beach with the Tigers' Premier League place already secure.
"We've known for a few weeks that we'd be in the play-offs so we've been able to rotate the squad to rest the lads and put a bit of freshness back in them."
Hull hope to avenge April's 4-0 humbling at the iPro Stadium. They finished five points ahead of the fifth-placed Rams, and Bruce added: "They've beaten us twice this season with a 6-0 aggregate, so they have the edge. But those games will have no bearing on what happens on Saturday. It will be tough, tight and tense as play-offs always are."
Manchester United loan striker Nick Powell is again ruled out through injury but Irish midfielder David Meyler is set for a place on the bench after recovering from a hamstring problem.