Robbie Savage has alleged that an Aston Villa fan spat in his face while he played for Birmingham City.
The city rivals will meet in the League Cup for the first time in four years on Tuesday evening.
"One year, visiting the Motor Show at the NEC, a Villa fan walked up to me and spat in my face for no other reason except that I played for Birmingham," Savage is quoted as saying by the Mirror.
"And my house in the Midlands was once attacked by four masked guys wearing balaclavas in the middle of the night - just because I played for the 'wrong' team."
Savage made 88 appearances between 2002 and 2005 for Birmingham City.
