Robbie Savage Career Timeline: Leicester, Derby, Wales Caps and Life After Playing

Robbie Savage built a professional football career that spans more than three decades, from Manchester United’s youth ranks to a current second act as a football manager, by way of a long-running career as a BBC broadcaster. The Wrexham-born former midfielder made his name as an all-action, frequently booked presence in the Premier League for Leicester City, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers and Derby County, then turned that profile into one of English football’s most recognizable media careers. Here’s a timeline of his playing days, his 39 Wales caps, and what he’s doing now.

Where did Robbie Savage’s football career begin?

Savage started out as a youth player at Manchester United, where he won the FA Youth Cup in 1992 but never made a first-team appearance for the club. He left Old Trafford without a senior game and dropped into the lower leagues, signing for Crewe Alexandra in 1994. It was at Crewe, then developing a reputation for producing young talent, that Savage established himself as a regular, making 77 appearances and scoring 10 goals before helping the club win promotion through the 1997 play-offs.

Which clubs did Robbie Savage play for?

Savage played for five senior English clubs over a 17-year career, moving from Crewe Alexandra to Leicester City, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers and finally Derby County. His move to Leicester City in 1997, for a reported £400,000, turned him into a Premier League regular; he made 172 appearances for the club, won the League Cup in 2000, and was a losing finalist the year before. A £1.25 million transfer took him to Birmingham City in 2002, where he was named the club’s Player of the Year in 2003 across 82 appearances. He joined Blackburn Rovers for £3 million in 2005, making 76 appearances before a broken leg in January 2007, then moved to Derby County in 2008, where he became club captain, was named Derby’s Player of the Year in 2010, and retired from playing in January 2011. He also had a brief loan spell at Brighton & Hove Albion in 2008, and made a one-off appearance for non-league Stockport Town in November 2019, eight years after his official retirement.

How many caps did Robbie Savage win for Wales?

Savage earned 39 caps for Wales between 1995 and 2004, scoring twice, including a goal against Turkey in 1997 and another against Norway in 2001. He stepped away from the Wales squad in 2005 after a public falling-out with then-manager John Toshack, ending his international career short of the 40-cap mark.

What was Robbie Savage known for as a player?

Savage built his reputation on an aggressive, high-energy playing style that made him one of the most heavily booked midfielders of his era. At one point he held the Premier League record for career yellow cards, with 89, before several other players later overtook that mark; despite the disciplinary record, he was sent off only twice in his career. That combative reputation, paired with a distinctive look, made him one of the more recognizable characters in early-2000s English football and helped set up the media profile he built after retiring.

What has Robbie Savage done since retiring from playing?

Since retiring in 2011, Savage has built a long career in British broadcasting, best known for presenting BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sunday-night football phone-in show, 606. He took over hosting duties around 2010–2011 and won a Sony Radio Academy Rising Star Award in 2011 for the role. He also worked as a pundit for ESPN’s Premier League coverage between 2009 and 2013, and has more recently co-hosted TNT Sports’ Early Kick Off alongside his club-management work. In 2011 he competed on Strictly Come Dancing, reaching the quarter-final before being eliminated in sixth place. He has also published two autobiographies, in 2011 and 2015.

Is Robbie Savage currently a football manager?

Savage moved into management in October 2023, taking interim charge of Macclesfield for two games — both wins — before being named the club’s permanent head coach in June 2024. He led Macclesfield to the Northern Premier League Premier Division title and promotion in March 2025, then left to take over National League side Forest Green Rovers on July 1, 2025, guiding the club to seventh place and a spot in the 2025–26 play-off eliminators. As of Monday, September 28, 2026, however, Forest Green Rovers confirmed that Savage had been given permission to speak with another club about a managerial move, with reports pointing to League One side Peterborough United, which had recently parted ways with manager Luke Williams. The club said Savage would not take charge of Forest Green’s next match, against Wealdstone, while those discussions continued. Nothing had been finalized at the time of writing, so Savage’s next club could end up being Forest Green Rovers, Peterborough United, or somewhere else — this page will be updated once that’s settled.

What is Robbie Savage’s family background?

Savage is married to Sarah, and the couple have two sons, including Charlie Savage, who plays professionally for Manchester United and has represented Wales at senior level. Robbie Savage’s father died in 2012 from Pick’s disease, a form of dementia, and Savage has since worked as an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Whatever club Robbie Savage ends up managing next, his path from a Wrexham-born midfielder with a reputation for yellow cards to one of English football’s longest-serving broadcasters is already a matter of record. It’s only the final chapter of the timeline — where he manages next — that’s still being written.