Savage takes pay cut for Derby move

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The 33-year-old has swapped a club challenging for European football for one odds-on to be relegated after one season in the Barclays Premier League so that he can play regularly - something he could not do at Ewood Park.

"I have taken a pay cut to come and just play football and I am happy to do that," said the former Wales midfielder, who has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal. "Blackburn could qualify for Europe, but I would rather be playing week in week out."

He added: "I wanted to play first-team football and (Blackburn manager) Mark Hughes couldn't give me that on a regular basis.

"But the gaffer at Blackburn was fantastic for me, he gave me permission to speak to people."

Savage has admitted the Rams are almost certain to go down but felt manager Paul Jewell was planning for the future and was more than happy to accept the challenge.

"It will be very difficult to stay up, but I think Paul's idea is, if we don't stay up, to plan for next season and have a winning side to come back up," he added.

"It will be another challenge and I will be looking forward to it if it happens, which I think it might."

Sunderland were also interested in signing the combative midfielder, but Savage felt more wanted by Jewell.

"Of course I was tempted by a move to Sunderland; for a manager like Roy Keane you are going to be tempted," he added. "But I felt Derby and Paul wanted me more and for Derby to pay the fee they have showed how much they wanted me."