Peterborough have appointed Robbie Savage as their new manager after the sacking of Luke Williams, making one of the more eye-catching calls of the early League One season. The club are 23rd in the table and have scored only four league goals so far, so the need for a quick lift is obvious. Savage arrives at Weston Homes Stadium with pressure already attached to the job.

BBC Sport's analysis called him "Robbie Savage is an extremely surprising appointment for Peterborough United." That feels about right given the state of Peterborough's season and the fact Savage is arriving from Forest Green, who sit 12th after 10 matches.

The state Peterborough are in

This is not a change made in calm conditions. Peterborough dismissed Luke Williams on 19 September, and the numbers behind the decision are grim enough on their own.

They are 23rd in League One, second from bottom, and four goals in the league is a miserable return at this stage of the campaign. When a side is that low and that short of goals, the club does not have much room to wait for a turnaround.

That is why this appointment looks like a gamble as much as a reset. Savage has been brought in to jolt a team that has barely functioned in front of goal, and Peterborough need the impact quickly.

Why the appointment stands out

Part of the surprise is where Savage has come from. Forest Green are 12th after 10 matches, with four wins, two draws and four defeats, so he was not walking away from a side in freefall.

That makes Peterborough's move bolder than a standard lower-league reshuffle. They have gone for a high-profile figure at a point where the club's own problems are much bigger than image. The goals return tells the story more clearly than anything else.

BBC Sport also noted the scale of the task ahead. Quoted by bbc.co.uk, its analysis said: "Savage clearly has a huge task on his hands, but whatever happens - you get the feeling that it's unlikely to be dull."

Eventful is one thing. Peterborough really need effective.

The first dates in the job

The immediate schedule note attached to Savage's appointment is a Jersey Mike's Trophy game against Ipswich Town Under-21s on 6 October, which BBC Sport lists as his first match in charge.

That may not be the fixture supporters will judge him on most, but it is the first chance to see what changes quickly. Peterborough's new manager takes over a side sitting 23rd in League One with four league goals, and those are the numbers defining the job on day one.

FAQ

Why have Peterborough appointed Robbie Savage now?

Peterborough moved after sacking Luke Williams on 19 September. The urgency is obvious from their start to the league campaign: they are 23rd in League One and have scored only four league goals so far this season. Savage arrives as a reset choice rather than a routine change.

How surprising is Robbie Savage's move to Peterborough from Forest Green?

It is a surprise because Savage was not leaving a side in collapse. Forest Green are 12th after 10 matches, with four wins, two draws and four defeats. BBC Sport described him as an "extremely surprising appointment" for Peterborough, which fits the contrast between the two clubs' current positions.

When will Robbie Savage take charge of Peterborough for the first time?

BBC Sport's schedule note says Savage will first take charge of Peterborough against Ipswich Town Under-21s in the Jersey Mike's Trophy on 6 October. There is no competing source in the material provided, so that stands as the current first date attached to his appointment.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →