Peterborough United have officially named Robbie Savage as their new manager following the departure of Luke Williams. Williams was dismissed from his role at the Weston Homes Stadium on September 19 after a difficult opening to the League One campaign that left the club sitting in 23rd place.
Savage makes the step up to the English Football League for the first time in his managerial career. The 51-year-old previously managed Macclesfield in the non-league tiers before taking charge of Forest Green Rovers in July of last year. During his tenure with Forest Green, he led the team to a seventh-place finish in the National League last term, though they ultimately fell short in the play-off eliminator round.
Forest Green experienced a mixed start to the current campaign under his leadership, accumulating four victories, two draws, and four losses from their opening ten fixtures to sit 12th in the standings. Before entering management, Savage enjoyed a lengthy playing career as a midfielder, representing several notable English clubs including Leicester City, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, and Derby County, in addition to earning caps for the Wales national team.
The incoming manager takes over a Peterborough squad currently mired near the foot of the League One table in second-to-bottom position. The team has struggled significantly in the attacking third, netting just four goals in league competition this season and only two across their previous 23 league outings dating back to the previous campaign. Squad turnover during the summer window has added to the challenge, with several key departures failing to be adequately replaced so far.
Savage will also face the pressure of working under Peterborough owner Darragh MacAnthony, whose hands-on approach to club operations is well documented. Historical job security at the Weston Homes Stadium has been notoriously brief for recent permanent managers, with Luke Williams, Grant McCann, and Steve Evans each lasting less than a year in the dugout.
The new boss will begin his tenure on October 6 when Peterborough welcome Ipswich Town Under-21s to home turf for a Jersey Mike's Trophy fixture. That match will serve as an immediate introduction before the club returns to league action four days later with an away trip to face Leicester City on October 10.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.
