After a decorated playing career, David Beckham has transitioned into club ownership, making waves in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami. Now, in a move to expand his influence in English football, Beckham has completed the takeover of a lower-division club in his homeland—this time, alongside a former Manchester United teammate.
Beckham first ventured into club ownership in 2018 by leading the launch of Inter Miami with an investment group. Leveraging his global influence, he has not only elevated the MLS franchise but also contributed to the league’s overall growth. Now, he’s aiming to replicate that success with a team competing in England’s football pyramid.
According to The Athletic, David Beckham and Manchester United legend Gary Neville have completed a takeover of Salford City, a club currently competing in EFL League Two—the fourth tier of English football. The long-term goal: take Salford to the Premier League.
Previously, Salford City was co-owned by a group of former Manchester United teammates known as the “Class of ’92.” However, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville, and Paul Scholes have now relinquished their stakes. Beckham and Neville will lead the project moving forward, while the remaining members of the group are expected to remain involved in various club roles.
In an interview with The Athletic, Beckham expressed his vision for the project: “I will be over every big decision that’s made and every little decision that’s made. That’s what my commitment is to Gary. It’s what my commitment is to the club… I always dream big so I’m always going to want us to get to the pinnacle of football and be in the Premier League. But there’s a lot of hard work and a lot of investment to be done up until that point.”
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Wrexham and Birmingham City as role models
Beckham also cited the recent rise of Wrexham and Birmingham City as inspiration. Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney helped guide Wrexham back to the EFL Championship, while NFL legend Tom Brady became a minority owner of Birmingham City in 2023—another club that has since climbed to the second tier, reigniting hope and ambition.
“We’ve all been inspired by what Ryan Reynolds has been doing at Wrexham and I’m not saying this is why we’re doing it because it’s not. But I’ve spoken to Ryan about it so many times now and he said the feeling around the city, the feeling around the club, is so exceptional. That’s the kind of thing that we want to create,” Beckham stated.
Beckham also praised the work done by Brady and business partner Tom Wagner: “Tom Wagner and Tom Brady have done an incredible job with Birmingham. I went to a game a few months back and the atmosphere in the stadium was one of the best I’ve seen for a long time. That’s what we want to create.”
