Neville, Beckham ‘complete Salford City takeover’ as ‘new consortium’ hatch ‘Championship’ plan
Manchester United legends Gary Neville and David Beckham have ‘completed a takeover’ of Salford City worth around £15m as part of a ‘new consortium’.
In 2014, Neville and fellow Class of ’92 members Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt bought non-league side Salford City as part of a consortium which included businessman Peter Lim.
Neville and Co. oversaw a rapid rise as Salford City earned four promotions in five years to reach League Two, but the club has stagnated in recent seasons.
Salford City have just finished their sixth-straight season in League Two and narrowly missed out on the play-offs, finishing eighth in the table.
Wrexham have stolen their thunder in recent years as the League Two outfit have been mocked for their huge spend on transfers failing to pay off and the hierarchy rashly sacking managers.
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Now, Salford chiefs have recognised that changes are necessary, with The Athletic‘s David Ornstein revealing Neville and Beckham are part of a ‘new consortium’ in control of the club.
His report confirms Butt, Giggs, Neville and Scholes have ‘relinquished their stakes, but will continue to occupy various positions at Moor Lane’.
It is noted that Neville and Beckham have been ‘seeking investment partners’ since Lim’s exit from Salford City in 2024 and they ‘plan on lifting the club to new heights’ amid their ‘commitment to injecting significant funds’.
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After ‘considering multi-club models and a direct owner’, Neville and Beckham ‘decided to join forces with Declan Kelly, founder of U.S.-based advisory firm Consello, and Lord Mervyn Davies, chairman of the Lawn Tennis Association’, who ‘will co-chair Salford’s board of directors’.
Regarding Salford City’s Championship plans, the report adds:
‘The collective are believed to have raised around $15-20million [approx £15m at most] to boost Salford’s sporting and infrastructural ambitions over the next five years. Inside that timeframe they are targeting promotion to the Championship.
‘Each member will hold a 5 per cent or 10 per cent stake, totalling at 80 per cent. The remaining 20 per cent has been earmarked for additional partners.
‘None of them will have day-to-day involvement — interviews are taking place to appoint a chief executive and that person will drive matters on the ground — but their influence is set to be felt across the operation.’
