Peterborough chairman denies illegal approach claim after Savage wins at Leicester

Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony denied that his club made an illegal approach for manager Robbie Savage after Savage won his first league game as Peterborough at his former club Leicester on Saturday. The denial follows public accusations from Forest Green Rovers owner Dale Vince that Peterborough spoke to Savage without permission before appointing him.

Vince told BBC Radio Gloucestershire he initially refused Peterborough permission to speak to Savage but said he was forced to agree to the move after the League One side approached his former manager directly before appointing him on 2 October. MacAnthony, writing on X, insisted the appointment process was "100% correct and proper, following all the rules".

Vince described his position on Savage as personal and difficult, saying: "He's [Savage] a friend and it was very hard to say no, so I said 'fine, go and talk to them'." He claimed Peterborough had first asked Forest Green for permission and then contacted Savage directly, adding: "Peterborough themselves have covered themselves in no glory here. They came to us and said 'we would like to speak to your manager'. We said no and so they spoke to him and then he came to us and said 'I hear Peterborough want to speak to me'. So, that's an illegal approach."

Forest Green previously announced late last month that Savage, 51, had been given permission to speak to another club and then confirmed he had been offered the Peterborough job following the departure of Luke Williams. Vince criticised Peterborough's conduct during negotiations, saying: "In the negotiations, Peterborough paid no respect to Robbie's position. He was stuck in the middle. He went there on the Monday, they offered him the job verbally and then they denied offering him the job."

Vince added that Peterborough then moved towards another candidate before reverting, creating difficulty for Savage and Forest Green: "Then they said they were going to move on to their second choice, leaving him in a real pickle, and we had no choice but to say 'look, just take him, that's the best thing for him'." He also said: "Robbie is a friend and told us he had an intense personal need to leave. It was impossible to have a proper negotiation. In the end, we said 'look, just take him on your terms'. We cared more about Robbie than the outcome."

In response to Vince's accusations MacAnthony wrote: "I have been an owner for 20 years in the EFL and have respect for the process. "Good luck to Forest Green in appointing a new manager." Forest Green have not confirmed if they have contacted the Football Association about the matter.

Following Saturday's 3-1 win at Leicester City, Peterborough host Burton Albion this weekend in Savage's first home league game in charge.