New Beckham and Neville consortium buys Salford City

David Beckham and Gary Neville person completed a takeover of Salford City arsenic portion of a caller consortium, buying retired nan remainder of nan Class of '92.

Their erstwhile Manchester United team-mates Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Phil Neville are nary longer shareholders arsenic portion of nan caller ownership group, which includes erstwhile banker Lord Mervyn Davies and businessman Declan Kelly.

However, nan quartet will stay progressive pinch nan nine successful roles "across technical, football, commercial, recruitment and nan SCFC foundation".

"I'm truthful proud to beryllium portion of a caller ownership group alongside my mate [Gary Neville] arsenic we statesman nan adjacent section of Salford's journey," Beckham, who turned 50 past week, posted connected Instagram., external

After nan Class of 92's presence astatine nan nine successful 2014, Salford won 4 promotions successful 5 seasons to scope nan English Football League successful 2019, but person remained successful League Two since.

The Ammies vanished nan 2024-25 League Two run successful eighth position, missing retired connected a play-off spot connected nan last time and ending nan play 1 constituent extracurricular nan apical seven.

Nine shareholders dress up nan caller consortium, including India-based Dream Sports Group, Colin Ryan, Frank Ryan, Nick Woodhouse and Shravin Mittal.

Their presence comes aft nan club's ownership began nan process of courting caller investment successful 2024.

"The acquisition includes a committedness by nan caller shareholders to put importantly successful nan club, nan squad and its facilities," a Salford connection said.

Beckham joined nan Class of '92 and billionaire Peter Lim successful investing successful nan nine in 2019, almost 5 years aft nan first takeover.

Gary Neville bought chap co-owner Lim's liking successful nan club - which had antecedently been 50% - past summertime successful bid to "pave nan measurement for a caller strategical partner".

Following Thursday's takeover, Neville said nan caller ownership group would "drive nan nine towards sustainability successful nan adjacent 4 to 5 years".

In a follow-up video posted connected nan club's X account,, external he added: "Football ever will beryllium nan priority. Football must travel first successful each azygous shot nine and I shouldn't moreover person to opportunity that.

"Success connected nan transportation is captious to america but we besides request to make judge that our facilities, stadium and nan training crushed amended enormously on nan way.

"We do request to go sustainable, we do request to turn revenues, while making judge that we look aft our fans and making it accessible - you person my connection connected that."

In a associated statement, Kelly and Lord Davies said: "Hopefully [we can] bring much occurrence to Salford City's awesome fanbase, players and everyone associated pinch nan club."

Salford enjoyed a meteoric emergence done non-league shot pursuing nan original takeover successful 2014, going from location shot to convention shot successful 5 years.

Having won nan Northern Premier League Division One North successful their first play nether caller ownership, promotion to nan National League North followed nan play after.

The nine won promotion to nan National League 2 seasons later successful 2017-18 and past subsequently went up to League Two via nan play-offs successful 2018-19.

Since then, however, that momentum has floundered.

In six seasons successful nan 4th tier, Salford person reached nan play-offs conscionable once, erstwhile they were beaten successful nan semi-final by section rivals Stockport County successful 2023.

Last play they vanished 20th, their lowest position since winning promotion to nan EFL, but they fared overmuch amended nether head Karl Robinson's stewardship this term.

Robinson had led nan nine to 3rd successful nan array successful January, but their shape tailed off, picking up conscionable six wins from their last 22 games aft a chastening 8-0 drubbing by Manchester City successful nan FA Cup.

Simon Stone, BBC Sport main shot news reporter

Owning a shot nine is an exceptionally costly business.

The Class of '92 person individually ploughed money into Salford since they bought nan nine - who were successful nan eighth tier of English shot astatine nan clip - successful 2014.

However, they were shielded from being responsible for nan existent standard of nan finance needed to thrust Salford into nan Football League - and efficaciously conception an wholly caller stadium - acknowledgment to nan engagement of Singapore businessman and Valencia proprietor Peter Lim.

After a decade, pinch individual figures successful nan Class of '92 wanting to standard backmost their investment, different ownership exemplary was needed.

BBC Sport has been told afloat takeover options were disposable but came pinch antagonistic elements that meant nan Class of '92 mightiness beryllium held responsible for decisions being taken without really having immoderate engagement successful making them.

Gary Neville and David Beckham person some decided it was amended to clasp a financial liking than consequence their names and person spent nan past fewer months putting together a caller group of smaller shareholders they judge person nan expertise to build connected what Salford person achieved.

Saturday brought disappointment done missing retired connected nan League Two play-offs but ambition remains astatine Moor Lane and today's announcement should support nan nine moving forward.