Given the direction of managerial travel – experience is very much secondary to youth – a 49-year-old making his dugout debut is a tad unusual. But Robbie Savage has always been an outlier, a man who, to his credit, rarely shies from sticking his still-flowing locks above the pool.
Over nearly a decade and a half as co-host of Radio 5 Live’s 606 football phone-in, Savage has suggested scores, perhaps hundreds, of times that he would wear the term “gaffer” well. Easy to say, right?
Continuing to do so into a microphone would have been the safe option. Savage, though, in beginning his managerial career at Macclesfield FC – Macclesfield Town’s phoenix club – has chosen action over bluster.
And “chosen” is the right term. With Savage as director of football, Macclesfield have twice been promoted. In May, they were 90 minutes from National League North. Therefore, according to a June club statement, it “came as no surprise when Robbie was offered a senior role elsewhere recently”.
That left Savage in a pickle. He yearned for such an opportunity, but he is also a man who makes emotional investment as prolifically as a venture capitalist risks someone else’s money. Macclesfield are his club – he holds, according to their website, a 10.8% shareholding. But the Silkmen also have his heart. He has worked as tirelessly as anyone building it from scratch. Walking away would have been too much.
And so, after Michael Clegg’s departure by mutual consent, Savage arrived at Worksop’s Sandy Lane as a bona fide football manager. True, as an occasion, it lacked the glamour of European nights or Strictly Come Dancing. For Savage, it was far, far more significant.
A late penalty from Alfie May salvaged Birmingham a 1-1 draw against Reading on the opening weekend of the new League One season. Blues, relegated from the Championship last term and with new boss Chris Davies in charge, fell behind when Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan scored just before the break. After Ehibhatiomhan saw a second-half effort ruled out for offside, May levelled from the spot with just three minutes left to snatch a point.
There was no such drama for Huddersfield, who won 2-0 at Peterborough.
Antony Evans and Ben Wiles were on target in the first half to give new Terriers boss Michael Duff a perfect start. Rotherham, who were also relegated, lost 1-0 at Exeter as substitute Caleb Watts struck with 20 minutes left
Promoted Wrexham beat Wycombe 3-2 in a thriller at the SToK Cae Ras, with co-owner Ryan Reynolds watching on. Max Cleworth and Jack Marriott gave the Dragons a flying start. Richard Kone pulled a goal back for the Chairboys before substitute Steven Fletcher slotted in Wrexham's late third and Sam Vokes then set up a tense finale.
Stockport, who came up as champions, beat Cambridge 2-0 with goals from Louie Barry and Kyle Wootton. Bolton, beaten by Oxford in the League One play-off final, won 2-1 at Leyton Orient with a late goal from Victor Adeboyejo, who had only just been sent on.
Crawley, promoted through the play-offs, beat Blackpool 2-1. Lloyd Jones' late goal saw Charlton win 1-0 at Wigan, while Bristol Rovers' summer signing Bryant Bilongo scored in stoppage time to beat Northampton 1-0 at the Memorial Stadium.
Paudie O'Connor grabbed a brace as Lincoln came from behind to win 3-2 at Burton, scoring his second with just four minutes left to snatch all three points.
With rain sheeting, the coach, after a few kick-ups, joked with travelling supporters before observing the warm-up perched on a ball. Come game time, he was first to the benches, leaning against the curved roof to steady himself.
The opening act of his tenure? Macclesfield kicked the ball out of play. A long season lay ahead.
When Savage, extremely politely, inquired why a foul on his winger was not worthy of a booking, a home fan asked: “Do you ever shut up?” “No, never,” came the instant response, accompanied by a grin. That was a light moment, but there is a serious side, too.
Wrong as it is, receiving abuse is not novel for Savage. Anonymous internet trolling from Bananarama6847! is one thing, though. Here, the jousting is real and completed at close quarters.
Of a near-constant stream, “Savage is a sausage” is the most printable. He ignored every word, only glancing quizzically when one chap strolled past, apropos of nothing, bellowing a particularly foul tirade.
Scratch just a little and there is plenty to Savage that is endearing. His pride when, while on commentary, his son Charlie made his Champions League debut for Manchester United was adorable.
Bromley started life in the EFL with a 2-0 win at Harrogate. The Ravens, promoted from the National League via the play-offs, scored their first EFL goal when Michael Cheek turned the ball home after 62 minutes and Kamarl Grant headed in a late second.
Cheltenham, relegated from League One last season, held off a fightback by Newport to win 3-2 with a stoppage-time goal from Joel Colwill.
Fleetwood made a winning start to life back in League Two with a 1-0 victory over Grimsby, while Ben Garrity's brace saw Port Vale open their bid for a swift promotion with a 2-0 win at Salford.
However, Carlisle, who also went down, were thrashed 4-1 at Gillingham.
Luke Molyneux scored twice as Doncaster, beaten in the play-offs last season, laid down an early marker with a 4-1 win over Accrington.
MK Dons, who also lost in the play-offs, saw their first game under new ownership end with a 2-1 home defeat by Bradford, the visitors scoring twice inside 10 minutes. A Kuwait-based consortium led by Fahad Al Ghanim completed a takeover from former long-term owner Pete Winkelman on Friday.
AFC Wimbledon came from two goals down to beat Colchester 4-2, Walsall edged Morecambe 1-0, while Tranmere and Notts County played out a goalless draw.
Macclesfield supporters Andy and Rick had travelled together for the game and agreed Savage’s reputation is grossly unfair. Andy told a tale from when he worked in a home store a few years ago. Savage was queueing behind a young family and when they did not have enough money to pay for their barbecue Savage covered the costs. “He told them he just wanted them to enjoy it. People don’t see that side of him,” Andy said.
There are countless examples of moments that show Savage’s heart is large and situated precisely where it should be. While that alone does not get one far in life, he has more to him. You do not win 39 Wales caps or make almost 350 top-flight appearances without being a blooming good footballer.
Savage’s target is the Northern Premier League title. He will need every drop of knowledge, every set of 12 digits in his virtual contact book. With home gates averaging above 3,000 and myriad players dropping down a level to join Macclesfield, nothing but promotion will do.
How did it start? An 89th-minute Luke Duffy winner that was given having been initially ruled out for offside. Savage’s joy was pure, visceral and real.
