Savage defends four-substitution start as Forest Green beat Wolves U21s

Forest Green Rovers manager Robbie Savage defended his decision to substitute four players in the opening minute of Tuesday's National League Cup tie with Wolves Under-21s, saying the move was within the competition's rules and designed to rest senior players for the weekend schedule.

Four players who started Forest Green's prior league match — Neil Kengni, Abraham Kanu, Tom Knowles and Kyle McAllister — were named in the starting XI for the cup tie but were withdrawn at the first opportunity to allow them to rest ahead of their next game. Savage said the players involved were aware of the plan, and that the quartet did not warm up before coming on, while others slated for substitution were part of the normal warm-up. Forest Green went on to win 3-2 against Wolves' Under-21s.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Savage stressed that the substitutions were legal within the rules of the competition. “It is quite complicated, it is within the rules of the game and the competition,” he said. “Those players didn’t warm up and the subs who knew they were coming on were part of the warm-up. The bottom line is we have won both games. We had seven academy players in the squad and we won. We are respecting the competition.”

Savage also indicated he did not expect any sanction from authorities, arguing that several other National League sides had used Under-21s early in the tie to manage their squad depth. He said: “I am not expecting a call, it is in the rules of the game and the competition. Let’s not forget we have won the game.” He added that around a dozen National League teams have used Under-21s in similar fashion, with ten of them winning, underscoring that Forest Green were among many who had exploited a loophole to protect senior players.

The win continued Savage’s strong start since taking over at the New Lawn in July, with eight wins and three draws from 11 matches. Forest Green, owned by green energy magnate Dale Vince, sit second in the National League after nine league games, having accumulated 21 points. The result adds a notable chapter to Savage’s early management career, which follows his previous role at Macclesfield, where he won promotion from the Northern Premier League, the seventh tier of English football.

Forest Green had earned a 3-2 victory over Wolves U21s in the cup tie, a result the club framed as evidence of progress and depth across the squad as it balances cup commitments with league responsibilities.