- David Beckham and Gary Neville have completed the acquisition of Salford City, taking over from their Class of ’92 partners
- The new ownership group includes Declan Kelly and Lord Mervyn Davies, with a total investment of $15–20 million
- Beckham and Neville are committed to the club’s long-term success, aiming for promotion to the Championship
Key Takeaways:
David Beckham and Gary Neville have finalised the acquisition of Salford City, currently playing in England’s League Two, drawing inspiration from figures like Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds, who owns Wrexham, and legendary former American football player Tom Brady, who is a major shareholder in Birmingham City.
🚨 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: David Beckham and Gary Neville have completed a takeover of Salford City with new consortium.
The other Class of '92 members are no longer shareholders but will still have roles at Salford.
(Source: @David_Ornstein) pic.twitter.com/FRSGV84wwW
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) May 8, 2025
The two former teammates from Manchester United and the England national team have long been part of the legendary Class of ’92 which previously managed the League Two club. However, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville, and Paul Scholes have now stepped back from their ownership roles, while Beckham and Neville have spent recent months seeking suitable investment partners.
The new ownership structure also includes American businessman Declan Kelly, founder of the consultancy firm Consello, and Lord Mervyn Davies, chairman of the British Tennis Association. The total investment is estimated at around $15–20 million (approximately £15 million), with each investor holding between 5% and 10% of the shares — a combined 80%. The remaining 20% is reserved for future partners.
Although they will not be involved in the club’s day-to-day management, Beckham and Neville are fully committed to the project. The Inter Miami co-owner, where superstar Lionel Messi currently plays, told The Athletic:
“I will be involved in all decisions. That is my commitment to Gary and to the club. We are not doing this for fun or sentiment. We care about the club, but we want to win. My dreams are big — I want to reach the Premier League. But we know it takes a lot of work and investment.”
Beckham also emphasized that the dream involves first stabilizing in the Championship before thinking about the top tier: “We need to see what we need to add to the squad, how we can help the coaches and the club to rise higher. If we find the right path, we want to reach the Championship.”
Salford City narrowly missed out on the League One promotion playoffs in the 2024/25 season by just one point — a draw in the final round against Carlisle proved decisive. Beckham and Neville, however, believe that this new era will give the club the boost needed to achieve higher ambitions.