Robbie Savage speaks on the ‘unacceptable’ abuse he received as Carlisle beat Forest Green 4-2 on Saturday evening.
The Forest Green Rovers manager has condemned behaviour that “crosses the line,” noting that it happens consistently, including at a recent match at Worthing.
He criticised the lack of response from stewards and others, adding that such personal abuse, often from people in influential positions, is not addressed adequately.
“It crossed the line. It’s unacceptable.”
Robbie Savage speaks on the abuse he received during Forest Green’s trip to Carlisle🗣️ pic.twitter.com/33QMI2m5wI
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Robbie Savage said: As a manager, you know, some of the abuse you receive, you heard it probably on the…
Interviewer: Do you enjoy it?
Robbie: It crossed the line a lot today. It crossed the line a lot, which is not acceptable. You know, I’m not sure much was done about it. You know, it’s not acceptable, some of the abuse you receive. You try and laugh it off, I’m having photos with their fans, kids, you know, before the game, you try and be friendly and it’s emotion, I get it. But some of the abuse crosses the line, which is not acceptable. But, is anything going to be done about it? I doubt it.
Interviewer: Perhaps that’s something obviously that needs to be highlighted for your time, because you are obviously a different manager that this league hasn’t experienced before, because, you know, your celebrity status as well, Rob, makes them think that they know you…
Robbie: But I’m a human being. Yeah. Listen, I don’t mind the banter. I’m one of the biggest ones, Mark, and their staff will tell you. But what you don’t expect is the abuse from, you know, from people of varying ages, you know, probably, you know, positions at work, to hurl the abuse they do at times is unacceptable. But nothing will be done. You know, any manager, any manager who stands there, yeah, you can hear it now, any manager who stands there…
Interviewer: I think that was a we love you, Robbie.
Robbie: Any manager who stands there, David, you’ve done it. You know, the abuse you receive, you just expect to take it, you know, and sometimes it’s unacceptable. And tonight, this is not me speaking because we’ve lost. It’s the truth. Any manager who stands there and gets the abuse that, you know, that I did tonight, what’s going to be done about it? Nothing will be done. It happened the other night.
Interviewer: Would you like the league to do something?
Robbie: No, listen, I’m not saying that, but, you know, you’ve probably heard it on your cameras. I’m sure, I don’t know who commentated, probably had to apologise numerous times. You know, I don’t know how loud, near the speakers were. But it’s not acceptable. But people do it. So any manager who stands in that technical area, I respect them massively. You know, some don’t get as much abuse as me, because I’m expected to take it, you know, I’m expected to take it. But listen, would I change it? No, in terms of…
*loud noise interrupts*
Interviewer: Somebody with a very loud voice.
Robbie: But again, listen, I love being a manager. I love my team. And we’re going to be there at the whereabouts. I still believe we can win the league, because if we play like that, we’ll be brilliant.
Interviewer: And listen, yeah. We’re on your side. We don’t think anybody deserves that level of booing.
Robbie: It’s fine now. But when it crosses the line, it’s unacceptable. Some of the stuff said from people who are in high-powered positions, probably at work, when they come to a football match, they believe they can scream such vile abuse at managers. It’s unacceptable.
Interviewer: So we, I mean, hopefully the league will do something.
Robbie: No, I don’t want them to.
Interviewer: Well, they should though.
Robbie: But they won’t. They won’t. It is what it is. You know, we’re just expected to take it. You know, to take it. You know, when you’re sure, more so when you score. You know, I’ve tried to laugh with them. You’ve seen it. You’ve probably seen the camera. He’s got the camera on me. Laughing and joking and some of the stuff is unacceptable. You don’t mind. But again, this is not me because we’ve lost. Because they’ve won the game. They got three points. Good luck to them. Good luck to them.
“I’ll take the banter, and when they’re singing songs about me as an individual I’ve got no problem,” Savage told BBC Radio Gloucestershire after the loss.
“But when it crosses the line, when it becomes nasty and some of the stuff said is wrong, what’s done about it?
“I’ll continue to stand there and take that abuse because I’m expected to, because it’s me – and it’s not acceptable.
“Stewards, volunteers, whoever’s standing there, it’s [still] allowed to happen consistently.
“I don’t mind banter. I’ve had photos with kids, with youngsters there and I’m prepared to stand there and get hurled the most shocking abuse by people of varying ages, probably in high-powered positions at work.
“They think it’s acceptable they can come and hurl vile abuse at a human being – it’s not acceptable, but nothing will be done about it.
“It happens all the time, it happened the other night at Worthing and it’s happened again today.
“I don’t think it’s acceptable, but nothing’s going to be done, nothing’s ever done.”