David Beckham and Gary Neville have taken majority control of League Two club Salford City through a new consortium aiming to invest $15–20 million over five years, with the goal of reaching the Championship.
Although both were already part-owners with other members of the Class of ’92, former teammates like Giggs, Butt, Scholes, and Phil Neville have now stepped back from ownership but remain involved in various capacities. The new ownership group includes prominent business figures such as Declan Kelly, Lord Mervyn Davies, and executives from Qualcomm, DLA Piper, Authentic Brands Group, and Dream Sports Group. Each holds a 5–10% stake, totaling 80%, with 20% left open for future partners.
Beckham and Neville emphasized sustainability, infrastructure investment, and community focus—not just a cash injection. A CEO will be hired to manage daily operations, but Beckham vows hands-on involvement in strategic decisions.
Inspired by the success of Wrexham and Birmingham under celebrity ownership, Beckham cited his personal connection to Salford, calling it “everything I love about football.” Neville described the club as a legacy project with no exit strategy—just a mission to build a winning, community-driven club.
They plan to revamp media efforts (beyond their 2015 documentary), upgrade the stadium and training ground, and make the club financially self-sufficient through innovative commercial and player trading models.