Former Manchester United footballers and England internationals David Beckham and Gary Neville have completed the takeover of fourth-tier club Salford City as part of a new consortium, after buying out the remaining owners from the famous Class of ’92.
Their former United teammates Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Phil Neville are no longer shareholders as part of the new ownership group, which includes, among others, former banker Lord Mervyn Davies and businessman Declan Kelly.
However, the four of them will remain involved in the club’s work in the technical, football, and commercial departments.
“I’m proud to be part of the new ownership group together with my friend (Gary Neville) as we begin the next chapter of Salford’s journey,” Beckham wrote on Instagram.
After the Class of ’92 joined the club in 2014, Salford climbed four tiers in five seasons and reached the English Football League in 2019, but since then has remained in League Two – the fourth tier of competition.
This season, the team finished in eighth place and did not enter the playoffs.
The new consortium also includes Dream Sports Group based in India, Colin Ryan, Frank Ryan, Nick Woodhouse, and Shravin Mittal.
Beckham joined the Class of ’92 and billionaire Peter Lim in investing in the club in 2019, nearly five years after the initial takeover.
Gary Neville last summer bought the ownership share of co-owner Lim, which was previously 50 percent, in order to make way for a new strategic partner.
After the takeover, Neville said that the new group of owners “will steer the club towards sustainability in the next four to five years.”
