David Beckham and Gary Neville complete Salford City takeover

David Beckham and Gary Neville have completed a takeover of Salford City as part of a new consortium, acquiring the remaining shares of the Class of ’92.

Their former Manchester United teammates – Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Phil Neville – are no longer shareholders in the club.

The new ownership group now includes former banker Lord Mervyn Davies and businessman Declan Kelly.

Despite stepping down as shareholders, the four former players will remain involved with the club in various roles across technical, football, commercial, recruitment, and the SCFC Foundation.

Since the Class of ’92’s arrival at Salford City in 2014, the club has enjoyed a remarkable rise, securing four promotions in five seasons to reach the English Football League in 2019.

However, they have remained in League Two since then.

In the 2024-25 season, Salford finished eighth in League Two, missing out on a play-off spot by a single point on the final day.

According to a club statement: “The acquisition includes a commitment by the new shareholders to invest significantly in the Club, the team and its facilities.

“The acquisition has been uniquely structured, through a members club made up of nine shareholders including Dream Sports Group (India’s leading sports technology company), Colin Ryan (Founder, Clipper Street Capital), Frank Ryan (Global Co-Chair, Global Co-CEO, and Americas Chair, DLA Piper), Nick Woodhouse (Executive Vice Chairman, Authentic Brands Group), and Shravin Mittal (Founder of Unbound).”

A new consortium, comprising nine shareholders, has been formed, including India-based Dream Sports Group, Colin Ryan, Frank Ryan, Nick Woodhouse, and Shravin Mittal.

This development follows the club’s efforts to secure new investment, which began in 2024.

David Beckham joined the Class of ’92 and billionaire Peter Lim in investing in the club in 2019, nearly five years after the initial takeover.

Last summer, Gary Neville acquired Peter Lim’s 50% stake in the club, with the intention of “paving the way for a new strategic partner.”