Peterborough United appoint Robbie Savage as manager after Forest Green exit

Peterborough United appointed Robbie Savage as manager on 2 October, bringing the 51-year-old from Forest Green Rovers to a League One club sitting 23rd. He succeeds Luke Williams, who was sacked on 19 September after a poor start to the season, according to BBC Sport. It is Savage’s first managerial job at an English Football League club.

The appointment confirms the move that was still in doubt when Forest Green allowed Savage to speak to Peterborough. BBC Sport says Peterborough have given him a contract the club calls ‘long-term’, although it has not reported a duration. Ryan Harley, who had been caretaker manager, will serve as Savage’s assistant.

What changed after Forest Green allowed Savage to leave

Forest Green goalkeeping coach Jonathan Gould said ahead of the club’s 29 September match against Wealdstone that Savage would miss the fixture after receiving permission to speak to another club. Stroud Times reported that Peterborough was understood to be that club. Gould said the players had been told of Savage’s absence on the Monday morning, while he, Yan Klukowski and Josh Bowen would oversee the game.

Forest Green chairman Dale Vince then said in a 29 September club statement that Savage wanted to leave for personal reasons, which the club understood and respected. Vince said Forest Green had given him permission to speak to Peterborough, that he had been offered the job, and that the clubs were negotiating terms. The statement did not give further details of those personal reasons or the proposed terms.

NewsJaws previously reported that Forest Green had allowed Savage to speak to another club amid Peterborough links. The development since that report is the confirmed appointment: Savage is now Peterborough’s manager, with his first fixtures and assistant identified. The earlier stage of the move is set out in our report on Forest Green allowing Savage to speak to another club.

Why Peterborough chose Savage

Savage told Peterborough’s website, in comments reported by BBC Sport, that the club’s size, philosophy and work with young players had attracted him. He said he intended to be present at every training session while trusting the coaches to deliver their sessions and messages. He also described an attacking approach, saying he would want his side to pursue a winner if a home game were level with five minutes left.

Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony said the board was impressed by Savage during an extensive interview. He pointed to Savage’s personality and determination to restore confidence to the squad. Savage acknowledged that some supporters might have reservations and said he would protect his players from the touchline. Those comments describe the club’s hopes and Savage’s intentions; results will depend on what follows on the pitch.

Savage previously managed Macclesfield before taking over Forest Green in July last year. He guided Rovers to seventh in the National League last season, but they were beaten in the play-off eliminators. At the time of the BBC report, Forest Green stood 13th after 11 matches this season, with four wins, three draws and four defeats. His move therefore leaves a National League club as well as giving him his first EFL managerial post.

Savage’s first Peterborough fixtures

The immediate challenge is clear from Peterborough’s league record. BBC Sport reported that the club had scored four league goals this season and won only two of its previous 23 league games, a run extending into last season. Williams’s dismissal on 19 September left the club seeking a replacement while it remained near the bottom of League One.

Savage is scheduled to take charge for the first time on 6 October, when Peterborough host Ipswich Town Under-21s in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy. The next league fixture listed by BBC Sport is a trip to Leicester on 10 October, one of Savage’s former clubs as a player. Those games will provide the first evidence of how his stated approach works with Peterborough’s squad; the appointment itself establishes no result.