The defensive player began his football career in the summer of 1977 with  Gillingham FC . Bruce joined the first team in 1978 and played there until 1984.

That year he moved on for a transfer fee of approximately £ 125,000 to £ 135,000  Norwich City . On his debut for the canaries he scored against the  Liverpool FC  an own goal. In 1985 he won his first title, the English League Cup, with Norwich City and was relegated with the Canaries in the same year. After the immediate resurgence in 1986 and the 1986/87 season, he moved to in December 1987  Manchester United .

The club paid £ 800,000 to £ 825,000 for the Englishman. Despite the change after  Manchester  he was inducted into the Norwich City Players Hall of Fame in 2002. Bruce made his debut for the Red Devils on December 19, 1987 against the  Portsmouth FC . With them, the defender was three times English champions (1993, 1994 and 1996), twice English cup winners (1990, 1994), one time English League Cup winner (1991) and won the  UEFA Cup Winners' Cup  1991. In 1991 he became captain of the team and remained so until his move to  Birmingham City  1996.

After two years in  Birmingham  Steve Bruce left his playing career in 1998 and 1999  Sheffield United  to end.