David Beckham and Gary Neville have taken full control of Salford City as part of a new ownership consortium, completing a buyout of their fellow “Class of ’92” members.
Former Manchester United teammates Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Phil Neville are no longer shareholders in the League Two club, though they will remain involved in various roles across technical, commercial, and football operations, including the Salford City Foundation.
Beckham, who celebrated his 50th birthday last week, shared his excitement about the new chapter on Instagram: “I’m so proud to be part of a new ownership group alongside my mate \[Gary Neville] as we begin the next chapter of Salford’s journey.”
The reshaped ownership group also includes former Standard Chartered chairman Lord Mervyn Davies, businessman Declan Kelly, and investors such as Dream Sports Group, Colin and Frank Ryan, Nick Woodhouse, and Shravin Mittal.
Their arrival follows a process launched in 2024 to secure fresh investment in the club.
Salford City’s statement confirmed that the consortium has committed to “significant investment in the club, the team and its facilities.”
Neville, who acquired Peter Lim’s 50% stake in 2023 to prepare for new strategic partners, said the new era aims to make the club “sustainable in the next four to five years.” In a message to fans, he emphasized: “Football must come first.
Success on the pitch is critical, but we must also improve our facilities and grow sustainably while keeping the club accessible for supporters.”
Salford’s rapid rise through non-league football between 2014 and 2019 included four promotions in five seasons, taking them into the English Football League.
However, they’ve struggled to build on that momentum, remaining in League Two since and finishing eighth in the 2024–25 season, narrowly missing the play-offs.
Despite an early-season surge under manager Karl Robinson, including reaching third place in January, the club faltered after a heavy 8-0 FA Cup loss to Manchester City, winning just six of their final 22 matches.
Kelly and Lord Davies said in a joint statement that they hope to “bring more success to Salford City’s wonderful fanbase, players and everyone associated with the club.”
