Former Manchester United defender Steve Bruce, who has managed in the Premier League, lost little Madison last year.

Steve Bruce’s four-month-old grandson Madison’s death has been ruled as “an accident”.

An investigation into the circumstances surround the baby’s death has been underway since it’s body was found in his home in October. Police arrested a woman in her 40s – thought to be working as a nanny – on suspicion of child neglect.

However, the probe has now ended and officers have deemed the death to be a tragic accident, reports the Mirror.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “While the circumstances are tragic, we don’t believe any criminality was linked to this death.”

Bruce’s daughter Amy gave birth to Madison last year with her husband Matt Smith, also a former footballer having played for the likes of Leeds United, Millwall and Fulham. Bruce, 64, took compassionate leave as manager of Blackpool when Madison died, returning before Christmas.

Former Manchester United defender Bruce said he considered walking away from football following the death while speaking this week in his first interview about the family tragedy.

But the determined coach has helped Blackpool mount a late playoff charge in League 1 as, with eight games to go this season, the Tangerines find themselves among a string of teams vying to sneak into the top six. They are seven points off Huddersfield Town in sixth but are on a good run of form.

In the poignant interview with The Athletic, Bruce, who managed Newcastle for two years, said: “There were times when I thought about not coming back. I’m sure people would’ve totally understood but sometimes football has given me a little bit of an escape from it all.

“It’s been the tragedy of all tragedies. Anyone going through the same sort of grief, I feel for them. It’s horrendous that a fine, young, healthy baby boy doesn’t wake up one morning…. We’ll never come to terms with that. It’s agony.”

Bruce praised the support of bosses at Blackpool for their compassion following the tragedy. It happened just weeks after he took the job at Bloomfield Road, following nearly two years out of the game.

As Bruce looks to secure a firmer grip on a playoff threat, the Tangerines prepare to take on league leaders Bolton Wanderers before facing promotion rivals Reading.

The Blackpool gaffer became wrapped in a feud this past week with his former player Dwight Gayle, after the current Hibernian striker criticised his methods.

Speaking to the Open Goal podcast, Gayle said: “He was okay. I felt that he didn’t perhaps spend enough time on working on a lot of things with us.

“I think he was trying to go game by game, rather than perhaps developing us as a team. I just feel like we could’ve improved with a lot of things.”