Sir Alex Ferguson released me from Man Utd and I ended up in Crewe’s B team – I thought my career was over

ROBBIE SAVAGE has opened up about struggling with self-confidence back in his youth.

And the football hero even came close to giving up the sport he loves when he dropped from Manchester United to Crewe Alexandra’s B team in 1994.

Savage had started his career in the youth ranks at United, hoping to one day walk out at the Theatre of Dreams and play for Sir Alex Ferguson.

But those dreams were taken away from him by Fergie himself when the legendary manager cut him loose and released him from United.

Savage found himself dropping from the Premier League to the B team of a second tier club.

The midfielder felt as though his career was coming to an end taking the drop from United to Crewe, but it helped him find self-confidence.

The 50-year-old had always struggled with his confidence in his younger days, telling the Telegraph that he didn’t use to be able to speak in front of people at school.

Asked where that lack of confidence came from he said: “I don’t know, fear of failure? At school I couldn’t speak in front of people, I couldn’t do the assembly.

“With swimming we had to wear trunks and I was that skinny and that body-conscious that I wore two pairs of trousers to make myself look bigger. I have done all that because of that insecurity.”

Now Savage is known for his exuberant character and has spent years talking to millions of people on live television.

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His football career did take back off with the 39-time Wales international starring for clubs like Blackburn Rovers, Derby County and Leicester City.

But he’s found a new home as boss of non-league outfit Macclesfield FC in the seventh tier of English football.

And he’s even turned down a lucrative reality TV offer to stay on board as the boss of the Northern Premier outfit.

Savage’s new job has helped him re-kindle his love for football and he gushed about how much he is enjoying his time as the unpaid boss of the club.

He told the Telegraph: “I love it. I’ve had tears here. Emotion. Fall-outs. This is like a home for me and it has given me a purpose.

“So many footballers have nothing. They get divorced and they do so many things because they have that addictive gene, so what can they then be addictive about? I have got this. And I am addicted to it.

“I have my routine and it’s non-stop and it’s tiring. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk