Four substitutions in the first minute of the match - life hack

In the English U21 National League Cup clash between Forest Green Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers (3–2), spectators witnessed one of the strangest openings to a match in recent memory.

Within the very first minute, Rovers boss Robbie Savage made an extraordinary move—he hauled off four of his starting players immediately after kick-off. Abraham Kanu, Neil Kengni Kuemo, Kyle McAllister, and Tom Knowles all exited the pitch before they had even settled into the game.

The reasoning? A loophole in the competition’s regulations. The National League Cup requires each team to field at least four players who were in the starting XI of their most recent league fixture. Savage’s solution was simple: start four players he had no real intention of using, then replace them right away.

This wasn’t the first time Savage pulled such a stunt. Just last month, he swapped out two “token starters” inside the opening minutes of a game. The tactic seems to be catching on, too—Rochdale reportedly tried a similar ploy against Blackburn Rovers only days ago.

Despite the odd substitutions, Forest Green didn’t miss a beat. Goals from Marquez, Moore, and Cardwell sealed the victory. Wolves managed to respond through Mane and Angel, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.

The National League Cup itself has an unusual history. First introduced in 1979 under the old Alliance Premier League, the competition was discontinued after the 2000/01 season—only to be revived again in 2024.