23-time Grand Slam tennis champion Serena Williams has congratulated Manchester United legend Gary Neville after he completed a full takeover of League Two club Salford City on Thursday.
Neville, along with his brother Phil and Class of ’92 teammates Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and laterly David Beckham purchased the Ammies in 2014 when they were in the eighth tier of English football. Under their ownership, the club has risen to the EFL and have resided in the fourth tier since 2019.
After narrowly missing out on the play-offs to Chesterfield on the final day of the League Two season last Saturday, Salford City have announced that a consortium led by Neville and Beckham have now bought out the remaining members of the Class of ’92. They will be joined by US-based businessman Declan Kelly and Lord Mervyn Davies in the boardroom.
Previous shareholder Peter Lim has also exited the club as part of the takeover. In a surprise turn of events, Williams has reacted to the news that Neville has bought Salford fully.
Taking to Instagram she wrote: “Excited to see the impact my friends and Consello partners Gary Neville and Declan Kelly will have on Salford City with their new ownership group. Good luck next season!”
In April 2024, Consello – a leading advisory and investing firm based in America – announced that they had gone into business with Williams. Their role would be to advise the 43-year-old on ‘all business interests’ moving forward.
Kelly founded Consello and enlisted Neville into the firm a month prior to Williams joining. Discussing the acquisition of Salford, Neville said: “I am passionate about Salford City.
“This is a unique partnership with a diverse range of minds and expertise, held together by a love of football. Football will come first, however it’s critical that we drive the club towards sustainability in the next four to five years.
“I can’t wait for the next part of this journey.” Beckham, who is the co-owner of MLS side Inter Miami, added: “I grew up in Salford….I have such fond memories of my time living there and the place and its people played such an important part in my early life in football.
“Salford City is at the heart of its community….it has a rich history and I am delighted to be a part of the next chapter.”
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