Editing Robbie Savage (section)

===Derby County===
[[File:Robbie Savage.png|thumb|Savage playing for Derby against [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] in the [[2007–08 in English football|2007–08]] season]]
On 9 January 2008, Savage joined [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]] for a fee of £1.5&nbsp;million on a two-and-a-half-year contract,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7166114.stm |title=Savage completes switch to Derby |date=9 January 2008 |publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> and later revealed that he had taken a pay cut to join Derby in his search for first-team football and had rejected a move to [[Sunderland F.C.|Sunderland]] because he felt Derby had wanted him more.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7166114.stm |title=Savage delighted after Derby move |date=9 January 2008|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> As the number 8 shirt, which he had worn at previous clubs, was already allocated to then-captain [[Matthew Oakley]], he took the number 44 shirt because the numbers add up to 8.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=132267&command=displayContent&sourceNode=128309&contentPK=19508428&folderPk=55124&pNodeId=124562 |title=The numbers add up for Savage |work=Derby Evening Telegraph |date=10 January 2008 |access-date=17 January 2008}}{{dead link|date=June 2016}}</ref> He was appointed the new Derby captain after Oakley was sold to Leicester, and he skippered the Derby side in his first match, a 1–0 home defeat to [[Wigan Athletic F.C.|Wigan Athletic]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7172806.stm |title=Derby 0–1 Wigan |date=12 January 2008|publisher=BBC Sport |first=David |last=McIntyre}}</ref>

Rumours of Savage leaving Derby came in July 2008 when he missed out on every pre-season match. In August, Leicester City chairman [[Milan Mandaric]] declared an interest in Savage, which was dismissed by Derby.<ref name="Rams dismiss Foxes' Savage claims">{{cite news |title=Rams dismiss Foxes' Savage claims |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/7544511.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=6 August 2008 |access-date=29 October 2013 }}</ref> [[Paul Jewell]] repeatedly left Savage out of the team, after Derby's poor start to the 2008–2009 season,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/ROBBIE-LET-PROVE/story-11556676-detail/story.html |title=local sport derby county savage |work=Derby Evening Telegraph |access-date=29 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714232756/http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/ROBBIE-LET-PROVE/story-11556676-detail/story.html |archive-date=14 July 2014 }}</ref> and he was replaced as captain by [[Alan Stubbs]]. Stubbs was forced to retire shortly into the new season through injury, but Savage was not considered for the role due to not being in the first team, and the armband went to [[Paul Connolly (footballer)|Paul Connolly]].

After failing to break back into the first team, Savage was sent out on loan in October to Brighton for a month to keep match fit.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7638068.stm|title=Brighton capture Savage on loan |access-date=2 October 2008|date=29 October 2013|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> He would later reveal one year later, in a build-up to a match between Leicester and Derby County, that he had tried to secure a loan deal to the [[Walkers Stadium]] (Leicester had declared an interest in him months earlier). Savage even telephoned club ambassador [[Alan Birchenall]] and former teammate [[Paul Dickov]] to put in a good word with manager [[Nigel Pearson]]. Pearson, however, "said no", despite Derby offering to pay "90 or 95 per-cent" of Savage's wages.<ref name="Robbie Savage wanted to return to Leicester City">{{cite news|title=Robbie Savage wanted to return to Leicester City |url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Robbie-Savage-wanted-return-Leicester-City/story-12093396-detail/story.html |work=Leicester Mercury |date=15 October 2009 |access-date=29 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714163429/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Robbie-Savage-wanted-return-Leicester-City/story-12093396-detail/story.html |archive-date=14 July 2014 }}</ref> Following Jewell's resignation as Derby manager, Savage found himself brought back into first team contention by new manager [[Nigel Clough]], who made him first choice in central midfield. Savage scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 loss to [[Doncaster Rovers F.C.|Doncaster Rovers]] on 27 February 2009.<ref name="news_BBCS">{{cite news |title=Doncaster 2–1 Derby |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/7899729.stm |website=BBC Sport |date=27 February 2009 |access-date=18 January 2020 }}</ref>

Savage signed a one-year extension to his Derby contract with the club on 10 August 2009 to take him through to the end of the 2010–11 season. The next day, he was named in the [[Football League Championship|Championship]] Team of the Week for his performance in the opening day victory over [[Peterborough United F.C.|Peterborough United]].<ref name="savagetotw">{{cite web|title=Team of the Week (10/08/2009) |publisher=The Football League |url=http://www.football-league.co.uk/staticFiles/22/3c/0,,10794~146466,00.pdf |date=11 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007134410/http://www.football-league.co.uk/staticFiles/22/3c/0%2C%2C10794~146466%2C00.pdf |archive-date= 7 October 2009 }}</ref> Later that month, Savage was renamed as Captain of Derby County, replacing Paul Connolly, who manager Nigel Clough wanted to "concentrate on his own game".<ref>{{cite news|title=Switch of skipper will aid Connolly |url=http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Switch-skipper-aid-Connolly/story-11641378-detail/story.html |work=Derby Evening Telegraph |date=19 August 2009 |access-date=29 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018114211/http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Switch-skipper-aid-Connolly/story-11641378-detail/story.html |archive-date=18 October 2014 }}</ref> In response, Savage said that: "I did not deserve the captaincy when I first came to the club. I was handed it from the first day and I shouldn't have been. It was too much pressure for me and I had a nightmare. I let it get to me. I think I'm ready for it now. I feel more comfortable with it now."<ref>{{cite news|title=Sav: Now I'm ready for role of captain |url=http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Sav-m-ready-role-captain/story-11642316-detail/story.html |work=Derby Evening Telegraph |date=21 August 2009 |access-date=29 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203003028/http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Sav-m-ready-role-captain/story-11642316-detail/story.html |archive-date=3 December 2013 }}</ref> Derby struggled once again during the season, not achieving safety until the 44th fixture, but the season was a personal success for Savage as he appeared in all but one of Derby's 51 league and cup fixtures during the campaign, the match which he missed being due to suspension, starting 49 of them. He also scored twice; a free kick against [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] in a 4–2 home defeat and a volley at [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]] in a 1–1 draw. He also won the club's own [[Player of the Year]] award<ref name="AwardsNight">{{cite news |title=Robbie Savage named Derby County player of the year |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/robbie-savage-named-derby-county-1926607 |website=Wales Online |date=30 April 2010 }}</ref> but lost out on the [[Derby County F.C.#The Jack Stamps Trophy (Player of the Year)|fan's award]] to [[Shaun Barker]].<ref name="BarkerPOTY ">{{cite web|url=http://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10270~2040161,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006020640/http://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10270~2040161%2C00.html |archive-date= 6 October 2010 |title=Top Award for Barker |publisher=Derby County FC |date=1 May 2010 |access-date=29 October 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Savage again started in the Derby first XI in the 2010–11 season in a new 4–2–3–1 formation around new signing [[James Bailey (footballer)|James Bailey]], though Derby got off to a poor start winning just one of their opening seven league games, with Savage's form making fans question the justification for his place in the team and his status as skipper.<ref name="reality">{{cite news |title=Ramsweek 38 – Reality |url=http://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/derbycounty/news/9339/ramsweek-38-reality |website=fansnetwork |date=20 September 2010 }}</ref> He made his 100th appearance for the club in a 2–2 draw against [[Queens Park Rangers F.C.|Queens Park Rangers]] before he was dropped to the bench for a 1–1 draw at [[Barnsley F.C.|Barnsley]], the first game he had played no part in for Derby (barring unavailability for selection) since [[Nigel Clough]]'s arrival as manager in January 2009.

Savage played in goal for Derby on 11 March 2010, when [[Stephen Bywater]] was taken off with a back injury against [[Reading F.C.|Reading]]. He let in two goals during his 45 minutes in the Derby goal.<ref>{{cite news |first=Sandy |last=Macaskill |title=Robbie Savage shines in goal for Derby County against Reading |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/derby-county/7420192/Robbie-Savage-shines-in-goal-for-Derby-County-against-Reading.html |newspaper=The Telegraph |location=United Kingdom |date=11 March 2010 |access-date=21 November 2014 }}</ref>

On 16 October 2010, Savage played his 600th career match in a 3–0 victory on [[Preston North End F.C.|Preston North End]], scoring an injury-time penalty to seal the win.<ref name="600games">{{cite news |first=John |last=Arnfield |title=Derby 3–0 Preston: Spot-on Robbie Savage hits 600 club games |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/derby-3-0-preston-spot-on-robbie-1693455 |work=The People |date=16 October 2010 }}</ref> In January 2011, Savage revealed that he was considering leaving the club for a move to [[Vancouver Whitecaps FC (MLS)|Vancouver Whitecaps]], Savage stating: "One thing is for sure, I will be leaving Derby County at the end of the season, if not before, even if they offer me a new contract. My time is up here. I've thoroughly enjoyed my time with Derby and I want to walk away with my head held high".<ref name=savageleave>{{cite news|url=http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Savage-ponders-Vancouver-s-offer-MLS/story-11601976-detail/story.html |title=Savage ponders Vancouver's offer to move to MLS |date=13 January 2011 |work=thisisderbyshire |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222032326/http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Savage-ponders-Vancouver-s-offer-MLS/story-11601976-detail/story.html |archive-date=22 February 2014 }}</ref> One fan responded by telephoning Savage during an interview on [[BBC Radio 5 Live]] and telling him to "leave the club now" and "take young Mr. Clough with him".<ref name=savageleavenow>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00d8068|title=Derby fan tells Savage to leave the club now|date=13 January 2011 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> Savage eventually rejected the move, stating it was too big a move for his family.<ref name=savagestays>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/9359949.stm |title=Savage turns down Vancouver move |date=23 January 2011 |website=BBC Sport }}</ref> On 31 January 2011, Savage announced that he would be retiring at the end of the season to concentrate on his growing media career.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9383048.stm |title=Robbie Savage to end playing career at end of season |date=31 January 2011 |website=BBC Sport}}</ref> In his last two games, a home loss against [[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]] and an away defeat at [[Reading F.C.|Reading]], he was met with a round of applause and a standing ovation from both sets of supporters.