ROBBIE Savage today vowed to gain his revenge on the club that broke his heart as a teenager by guiding Blackburn Rovers into the final of the Carling Cup.

Mark Hughes' tough-tackling midfielder grew up dreaming of a career with Manchester United, where he was once a part of the same United youth team that produced the likes of David Beckham and Gary Neville.

But, while Beckham and Neville went on to pen their names in Old Trafford folklore with Sir Alex Ferguson's treble-winning Reds, Savage was left 'devastated' by United's decision to show him the door shortly before he celebrated his 20th birthday.

Looking back now, the 31-year-old accepts that he wasn't ultimately good enough to make the grade at the Theatre of Dreams in an era when the club were the dominant force in English football.

However, Savage still has vivid memories of the pain he felt at being rejected 12 years ago and he says that will help to spur him on when he lines up against United in tonight's semi-final first leg.

"It's hard when you get released by any club," said Savage.

"At school, I was the one everyone was always talking about, so when you suddenly get told you're not good enough, it is difficult to accept.

"I spent five years at United but I wasn't good enough to make it and I respected their decision to release me.

"I was too small and skinny and I wasn't ready to take my chance, so there's no hard feelings on my part.

"To be honest, far better players than me have been released by clubs and they're no longer playing football, so I'm just grateful for the career I've had.

"I made my 401st appearance against QPR on Saturday and I never would have believed I'd have gone on to play as many games as I have when I first got released.

"That's why I'll be pinching myself when I face United tonight in a major semi-final all these years after they let me go."

Savage wasted little time in resurrecting his career after getting the boot by United, salvation coming in the form of a move to Crewe Alexandra, where he flourished under the leadership of the wily Dario Gradi.

That spell at Gresty Road proved to be an ideal launchpad for the Welshman and three years and 95 appearances later, he was then on the move again, this time joining newly-promoted Leicester, who were on the rise under Martin O'Neill.

Over the next four years, the unfashionable Foxes never finished outside the top 10 in the Premiership and O'Neill also led them to two league cup finals, winning one and losing the other.

Savage was a key part of that success and the League Cup medal he won in 2000 means just as much to him as anything Beckham and Neville achieved with United during the same period.

Now, the former Welsh international is hoping to add another to his collection with Blackburn and, if anything, he rates his new team even more highly than the one that enjoyed so much success under O'Neill.

"That Leicester team under Martin O'Neill was a very, very good side," said Savage.

"We never finished outside the top 10 in the Premiership and we also reached two cup finals, winning one and losing the other.

"But this Blackburn side ranks up there with that one and, potentially, I think it can be even better.

"We had some good players at Leicester - people like Emile Heskey, Neil Lennon, Tim Flowers, who was flying at that point, Steve Guppy and Tony Cottee, who scored 16 or 17 goals for us in one season.

"Man for man, though, this Blackburn side is probably even better.

"The team at Leicester picked itself - you could have a few average games and you wouldn't lose your place.

"But at Blackburn, the way everyone is playing at the moment, if you get suspended or injured then you know you won't be able to walk straight back in again.

"On top of that, the Premiership has also moved on in the last five years, mainly because of the influx of foreigners, so there are better players about and standards are higher."

Savage's bold assessment of Rovers' potential will be put to the test tonight when United roll up at Ewood, looking to avenge the 2-1 defeat they suffered at Old Trafford in the Premiership earlier this season.

Fergie's men are still reeling from Sunday's embarrassing goalless draw with non-league Burton Albion in the FA Cup, but Rovers boss Mark Hughes has warned his players to expect some sort of backlash from his former club.

Rovers, however, are brimming with confidence after five straight wins on the bounce, their best winning sequence since they clinched the title in 1995.

And another tonight against Wayne Rooney and company would go a long way to enhancing their reputation, which has undergone a makeover since the national press branded Hughes' side 'bully boys' following their last appearance in a semi-final in April.

"I think we've turned the bully boy thing around," said Savage, who, together with Brad Friedel, is the only player to have started each of Rovers' last five games.

"It's not easy to change public opinion but I think people can see we are now playing decent football.

"Teams don't like playing against us, which is a compliment in itself."