Why my Christmas yellow card at least had a silver lining

By Robbie Savage

Published 22:54 31/12/09

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Before you ask... no, I didn't get booked at Newcastle in midweek just so I could avoid playing at Millwall on Saturday!

I got dog's abuse from the Toon Army every time I touched the ball and it would have been the same at the New Den in the Cup. As you know, I'm fine with that - especially this time of year when you need a Panto villain to boo and hiss.

But with three minutes to go at St James' Park, there was a tackle I simply had to make and out came the yellow. Don Goodman said on Sky that it was only a booking because I was Robbie Savage. Either way it was gutting to see the card as I love Cup football and I did have a dream of playing every single game of what is likely to be one of my final seasons.

I'd much rather be getting ready to play at Millwall, but my missus is pleased as it means we got to go out on New Year's Eve for a change. Usually I'm tucked up in bed or in a hotel somewhere.

I remember one year with Leicester when Martin O'Neill stuck us all in a health club for the big night with a strict alcohol ban as we were playing Arsenal the next day. We woke up to find that the game had been called off because of a heavy snowfall overnight - so we'd missed all the fun for nothing.

Since I'm not playing this year, we went out to Wing's Chinese restaurant in Manchester last night. The owner is a friend of mine and I love the tradition he's got of having celebrities who visit sign a plate, which he then puts up on the wall.

He's got so many famous signatures up there and on a recent visit I was marvelling at some of the names. There was David Beckham, Tom Jones, Wayne Rooney, Don King, Sven Goran Eriksson and, best of all... my Derby County team-mate Lee Croft! All the legends!

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