Savage and agent face FA rap

Robbie Savage and his agent will stand before the FA Disciplinary Commission on Thursday, ESPN Soccernet can reveal.

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Robbie Savage is a player who polarises opinion among fans and fellow professionals.

Savage, a player who polarises opinion among fans and fellow professionals because of his provocative and aggressive playing style, has been charged along with his agent George Urquart over breaches of newly introduced agents' regulations.

Savage and Urquhart have requested personal hearings and will appear before the three man FA commission on Thursday.

The FA brought charges after randomly selecting Savage's move from Blackburn to Derby to examine as part of their now routine audit on transfer window deals.

The FA allege that Savage and his agent did not have a formal written agreement and his agent had also re-negotiated the player's contract and then represented Derby in the transfer. But new regulations prohibit an agent conducting two consecutive transactions with the same player.

The FA statement reads: "George Urquhart has been charged in relation to Robbie Savage's move to Derby County FC in January 2008.

"It is alleged that Urquhart acted for Derby County FC in that move when he had acted for Robbie Savage in the renegotiation of the player's contract with Blackburn Rovers FC in January 2007, contrary to FA regulations.

"In addition, both Urquhart and Savage have been charged in relation to the renegotiation of the player's contract with Blackburn Rovers FC in January 2007. It is alleged that there was no written representation contract in place between the player and the agent when this renegotiation took place."

Graham Bean, the scourge of the FA after successfully helping a number of managers and players escape charges, will defend Savage. Bean is a former FA compliance officer and told ESPN Soccernet: "Robbie says that he shook hands with his agent and that was good enough for him, but the FA require a contract between player and agent.

"For me this is typical of the FA. This is not a big deal and does not need a hearing with all the expense and time that consumes.

"I approached the FA 18 months ago and suggested that cases of this kind can be dealt with through correspondence, to reduce the paperwork and all the hassle associated with these types of disciplinary hearings. But the FA rejected it, and I believe they are misguided."

Bean is convinced this is no more than a technicality and that there should not be a heavy punishment.