davieG Posted 5 August 2007 Share Posted 5 August 2007 Link Robbie Savage and the vile 'joke' I could not stomach Graham Poll tells his own story EXCLUSIVE by LEE CLAYTON Last updated at 21:09pm on 3rd August 2007 Comments This is not for the squeamish. For the first time, this is the full account of what happened when Robbie Savage visited the referee's toilet. I know there are some who will feel it was officious to report him. Some reports summarised his offence as "using the referee's toilet". But "using" does not tell the story of what he did. Robbie was playing for Leicester, who were already relegated, and it was the penultimate game at their old Filbert Street stadium. I had finished my warm-up when Savage burst into the officials' changing room. I asked him to leave but he said: "I've got to use your loo, I'm busting for a s**t." With that, he went into our toilet, sat down and, with the door wide open, he gave a running commentary as he defecated. We could not believe what was happening. I saw his team-mate Matt Elliott in the corridor and asked if the toilets were working OK in the Leicester dressing-room. He confirmed this to be the case. While Robbie was in the cubicle, Dennis Hedges, the match observer, entered the dressing-room. According to Robbie's version of events I said: "You'll never guess who is in our loo?" As if it was all a hoot. If I did say that, it was in appalled astonishment and, when Robbie was finished, I told him that his behaviour was unacceptable. "I'll leave it floating and you can see for yourself," he said. And he did, laughing as he left the room. Now I was almost lost for words, but remarked that he should consider washing his hands. "No need," he replied. Then he promptly wiped his hands down the lapels of Dennis's jacket. Now, I am not a prude. I have spent a lot of time around footballers. I am used to language and behaviour which, in other walks of life, would be considered crude. They don't bother me at all, normally, but Savage's behaviour was just horrible. I wouldn't report a player for using my loo but wiping his hands down Dennis's jacket was being deeply disrespectful. At the subsequent disciplinary hearing, he maintained that he had an upset stomach, but the Leicester dressing-room was less than 20 yards from ours. Was what he did an attempt at a joke, as he has always maintained? Was it an attempt to belittle me or destablise me before a game? I don't know, but I knew that I had to report him. The Leicester manager Micky Adams apologised when he learned how his player had behaved and the club fined him two weeks' wages, the maximum penalty they could impose. The FA charged Robbie with improper conduct. Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the PFA, represented him at the hearing and said that the matter should have been dealt with in a more sympathetic, less official way. He added that it was common for players not to wash their hands after using the toilet before games, because they are so focused on the football. Robbie produced a doctor's certificate to prove that he was on antibiotics at the time and said that he had been overwhelmed by his stomach upset. He conceded, however, that he had managed to play a full 90 minutes and then attend a supporters' club function, but did not seem to notice any inconsistencies in that account. Eventually, he was fined £10,000, subsequently appealed but lost and eventually paid up. I know that he still feels hard done by over the incident. I managed to have one laugh at Savage's expense on another occasion, though. He had committed a foul and when I was dealing with him, I said that I was in charge of the game, not him. He said: "Yeah, but I've got more money than you." After a pause, he added: "Loads more money." Towards the end of the match Savage asked how much time was left to play. I said: "Sorry, Robbie, I can only afford a cheap watch and it's broken." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benji Posted 5 August 2007 Share Posted 5 August 2007 Excellent, funny stuff Poll's attempt at a joke at the end was crap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davieG Posted 5 August 2007 Author Share Posted 5 August 2007 Excellent, funny stuffPoll's attempt at a joke at the end was crap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovejoy Posted 5 August 2007 Share Posted 5 August 2007 Savage is a legend Poll is a tvvat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thracian Posted 5 August 2007 Share Posted 5 August 2007 Savage graphically demonstrated that he's an arsehole. I'm just glad he's not my son. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted 5 August 2007 Share Posted 5 August 2007 Savage is a legend Poll is a tvvat Robbie's a fella i'd have in my team. Robbie's not a fella I'd have in my house. Robbie is rumoured to have little respect for members of the opposite sex and my understanding is that in Birmingham he received bad press for driving his ferrari around at pace in built up areas. Quite a character. Legendary ? Not for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tevez Posted 5 August 2007 Share Posted 5 August 2007 I wouldnt like it if some mongolian blonde haired arsehole ran into my toilet. unacceptable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webbo Posted 5 August 2007 Share Posted 5 August 2007 He had committed a foul and when I was dealing with him, I said that I was in charge of the game, not him.He said: "Yeah, but I've got more money than you." After a pause, he added: "Loads more money." One of the many reasons why so many people hate pro footballers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lildave3 Posted 5 August 2007 Share Posted 5 August 2007 I wouldnt like it if some mongolian blonde haired arsehole ran into my toilet. unacceptable. What about a Moldovan blonde haired arsehole? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 5 August 2007 Share Posted 5 August 2007 He was a complete gem when my niece, who was 3 at the time, met him. Seriously, he was fantastic. The child worshiped the ground he walked on until that Birmingham game. It's the only good thing I can find to say about him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Walsh5 Posted 5 August 2007 Share Posted 5 August 2007 Two side's to every story, I don't belive Graham Poll is telling the truth I think he has added many untrue bits to this story. Im sure Robbie would have a diffrent story. There is only 2 people that know what really happend and that is Robbie and Poll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ultra Posted 5 August 2007 Share Posted 5 August 2007 There is only 2 people that know what really happend and that is Robbie and Poll Indeed. And these days, neither are particularly likeable individuals. They're both self-centred attention-seeking drama queens, who bring nothing to our game. Shame about Sav, though. There was a time during his time with us when he gave a passable impression of a decent human being. But my respect for him disappeared after his two games against us for the brummies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BartonFox Posted 5 August 2007 Share Posted 5 August 2007 You know what you get with Savage and people take him far too seriously. Graham Poll on the other hand is an odious man who thinks English football owe him. The fact the people of Tring wanted him out because he brought no end of bad press sums him up. Savage might have shit in his toilet, but Poll left a steaming pile of refereeing turd every weekend in grounds across the land. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo V Posted 6 August 2007 Share Posted 6 August 2007 Im not having Graham Polls version of events at all. This prat of a ref was so media hungry that he actually thought he was more important than the players and always tried to steal the limelight. Savage was a very good player for us and is seen as a bit of a dumb knitwit by most, especially after the stuff that kept on getting revealed on Soccer AM . He is a young rich man who thinks he is invincible in life having earned those riches by kicking a ball and with that some players get arrogant or over-confident and get up to all sorts. From what I have read, Savage isn't anywhere near as bad as some of them out there! A pain in the backside, maybe but one that I'm sure would help team morale and also one who would definitely improve things on the pitch on the pitch too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB11 Posted 6 August 2007 Share Posted 6 August 2007 Poll's joke at the end was funny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burger Posted 6 August 2007 Share Posted 6 August 2007 They are both as pathetic as each other I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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