Released from Old Trafford after attending the same finishing school as Scholesy and the lads – and became just as famous, in his own way
A Manchester United trainee at the time of Beckham, Scholes, Butt & Co., Savage was released by Sir Alex Ferguson and joined Crewe.
After rebuilding his career under manager Dario Gradi, he was handed his Premier League chance by Leicester City in 1997. During his time at Filbert Street he carved out a reputation as a non-stop, fiery central midfielder who loved to get in opponents’ faces and wind opposition supporters up. It proved effective as City enjoyed a purple patch in their history under manager Martin O’Neill but when the club were relegated at the end of the 2001/02 campaign, Savage switched to Birmingham City. who had just been promoted.
After two and a half years at St Andrew’s he made a £3m move to join his former Wales boss Mark Hughes at Blackburn – controversially, claiming the main reason was to be nearer his parents' home in Wrexham. A favourite with the fans at Ewood, as he has been at most places he's played, he lost his place in the side during the 2007/08 campaign, signalling a £1.5m move to Rams in January 2008.