Love him or hate him, you just can't ignore Robbie Savage, and with just a few more days before he plays his final game for Derby County and finishes a career that has lasted over 20 years.
Robbie started his career with Manchester United and was part of the 1992 FA youth cup winning side that included David Beckham and Ryan Giggs. Unfortunately he wasn't offered a contract with United and started his league career with Crewe, who he signed for in 1994.
Originally a striker, Savage then switched to midfield whilst at Crewe to good effect and helped them reach the second tier of English football via the Play-offs in 1997 for the first time in their history. Savage however wanted more and put in a transfer request.
Leicester, then a Premiership side took Savage from Crewe for a £400,000 fee in July 1997. He stayed at Leicester for five years. When at Leicester Savage claimed his first and only medal, when the Foxes won the League Cup in 2000.
When Leicester were relegated from the Premiership just a couple of years after winning the League Cup, Savage stayed in the Premiership by moving to Birmingham City for a fee of £1.25m.
After five years with the Blues Savage put in another transfer request and went to Blackburn for a fee of £3m. The move was alledgedly to be nearer his ailing parents in Wrexham, although Birmingham is nearer than Blackburn to Wrexham..!
After a spell with Blackburn the Rams stepped in with a £1.5m fee to Bring Savage to Pride Park in January 2008. His time with the Rams has not been smooth and rumours of a move for Robbie after Paul Jewell left him out of all of the pre-season games before the 2008 season. Loans followed but with many clubs not wanting to meet the high wage demands of Savage his options were limited. The Rams even looked into loaning Savage back to Leicester City and offered to pay around 90% of his wages but the then Foxes manager Nigel Pearson didn't want Savage.
With the advent of the new Clough era at Pride Park, Savage had a revival in his Derby County career and Clough immediately made Savage his Captain and driving force in midfield. Savage grabbed his opportunity and has been a near ever present in the Rams midfield to date.
Saturday's final game of the season will see Robbie Savage play his final game for the Rams and like him or not, next season will be less interesting without him around. Some say there may well be a job for him coaching but would he really want to stay in the background and away from his adoring, or critical public? Who knows, but everyone here at Derby County Mad wishes him well in whatever direction his career tacks him..:
| Robbie Savage (Derby County) information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | Friday, 18th October 1974 | Height | 6ft 0in |
| Place of birth | Wrexham, Wales | Weight | 11st 9lb |
| International | Wales | Position | Midfielder |
| Comments | Squad No. | 8 | |
| Recent career history by club (1999 onwards) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Debut | Apps (+ sub) | Goals | Yellows | Reds |
| Derby County | 07 Jan 2009 | 108 (7) | 7 | 22 | 0 |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 04 Oct 2008 | 7 (0) | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Derby County | 12 Jan 2008 | 20 (1) | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 24 Jan 2005 | 94 (4) | 3 | 32 | 1 |
| Birmingham City | 28 Aug 2002 | 88 (0) | 11 | 28 | 0 |
| Leicester City | 19 Aug 2000 | 73 (0) | 4 | 23 | 0 |
| Recent career history by season (1999 onwards) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | First App. | Apps (+ sub) | Goals | Yellows | Reds |
| 2010/2011 | 07 Aug 2010 | 38 (3) | 4 | 12 | 0 |
| 2009/2010 | 08 Aug 2009 | 49 (1) | 2 | 9 | 0 |
| 2008/2009 | 09 Aug 2008 | 31 (4) | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 2007/2008 | 11 Aug 2007 | 30 (3) | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2006/2007 | 19 Aug 2006 | 27 (0) | 2 | 9 | 0 |
| 2005/2006 | 13 Aug 2005 | 42 (0) | 1 | 13 | 1 |
| 2004/2005 | 14 Aug 2004 | 31 (1) | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| 2003/2004 | 16 Aug 2003 | 35 (0) | 3 | 12 | 0 |
| 2002/2003 | 28 Aug 2002 | 34 (0) | 3 | 11 | 0 |
| 2001/2002 | 18 Aug 2001 | 37 (0) | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| 2000/2001 | 19 Aug 2000 | 36 (0) | 4 | 8 | 0 |
Total appearances 390 (+ 12 as sub); Goals 25; Yellow cards 112; Red cards 1