How David Beckham, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes finally got Salford firing with Class of 92 backed minnows flying high

BOOGYING to the sweet sounds of Rick Astley, Paul Scholes partied hard when seventh-tier Salford City beat Notts County in the 2015 FA Cup.

Co-owners Scholes, Gary Neville, and Nicky Butt watched the 2-0 win from a grassy bank with 1,400 packed into Moor Lane.

But if had been given a glimpse into the next decade, the ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ attitude may have been tested to the limit.

Despite boasting four promotions in five seasons, the Greater Manchester side failed to climb out of in the following seven campaigns.

The latest blow came in May when Notts County got a revenge of sorts with 3-0 Wembley play-off win to book a place in League One for the 2026/27 season.

Salford boss just over a week after the heartbreaking defeat.

as their promotion dreams unravelled.

Nearly five months later, the fourth tier side look to be back on track, sitting four points clear at the top of the table – having won their last six league games.

However, second-placed Barnet do have two games in hand.

But, in January 2025, Salford had six straight league wins – with the same number of clean sheets.

And they still missed the play-offs.

So, what, if anything, makes things different this time around?

Beckham and Neville helped in May 2025.

They attracted investment from businessman Declan Kelly and Lord Mervyn Davies, who became co-chairs.

Meanwhile, Scholes, Butt, and sold their shares.

Scholes has got a new role as chief football adviser, while the others have more vague roles with nothing explicitly assigned.

Chief executive Gavin Fleig, a former City Football Group executive, helped chief football adviser Scholes find a new manager after Robinson’s exit.

Aussie as a potential replacement.

When Fleig reached out for a meeting, the then Malaysia national team boss revealed he was conveniently in the UK on holiday with his wife and two kids.

An hour later, Cklamovski called back to say he had cancelled his return flight.

The 48-year-old had honed his skills under in Australia and with the Japanese side Yokohama F Marinos, before spreading his wings.

On his appointment, Cklamovski said: “It all comes down to a belief in what you do and a belief in how you do it.

“It’s a process driven, evidence-based approach and you don’t waste a second in any day.

“If you have the mentality to get better every day… results will follow no matter what part of the world you’re in.

“I’m not here to have a holiday. I’m here to achieve success.”

After getting off to a slow start – with three defeats – the Ammies have since gone nine unbeaten, with eight wins and a draw.

Scholes added: “Peter brings a style of football that we like to watch – exciting, attacking football. But he’s not just about scoring goals – he’s obsessed with keeping clean sheets too.”

With a few clean sheets on the way, some battles have been easier than others.

But their loyal fanbase weathered tough luck, long before their celebs and cameras arrived.

At 86 years old, Salford have spent much of their life in football.

In a nailbiting final day of the 2008/09 season, Salford survived in the Northern Premier League’s First Division North thanks to a victory over Garforth, while watching Rossendale lose.

Talking to Bury New Road, former chairman Darren Quick said: “We were sat in the back of the car, me and Dave Russell, working the wages out before the game.

“We’d incentivised a few players with a bonus. We were really rolling the dice to stay in the division.”

Russell added: “I was drunk for a week after the Great Escape, with Steve Foster and all the lads.”

And when the flashy Class of ‘92 arrived on the scene in 2014, they gave Salford a new look.

That year, supporters chanted ‘”we are tangerine” from the stands amid plans to change the shirts to a Manchester United red.

They ended up going ahead with the rouge plans and added a new badge.

A year later, pitch invaders held their own protest wearing ‘Neville is a traitor’ hoodies, while trying to plant an England flag in the centre circle.

But the new ownership were not able to completely bulldoze the club.

That August, Giggs, Scholes, Butt, the Neville brothers, and a few friends lined up against their new club – but were handed a brutal 5-1 defeat.

Yet the following seasons saw Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley deliver three promotions – culminating in the 2018 National League North title.

Graham Alexander led Salford into the in 2019 before progress stalled.

Then, with Richie Wellens as boss, they were crowned champions of the 2020 EFL Trophy a year late, due to the pandemic.

Though, that only lasted 24 hours with the 2021 final scheduled for the following day.

Nine days after their Wembley win, Wellens left by mutual consent. And things seemed to be plodding along without any tangible progress.

Last year, Beckham told The Athletic about his concern for the club, despite being one to “rarely panic”.

After blowing their £10million fundraising target out of the water, Beckham said: “If we hadn’t have done it, the club would have been in serious trouble.”

Robinson then took the North West outfit within one point of automatic promotion before the agonising defeat – leaving the side in Cklamovski’s safe hands.

After their 2-1 win over Bristol Rovers on Tuesday, the Ammies boss said: “It was a strong performance and a good three points and to make it six wins on the spin is a credit to everyone at the club.

“It turned into a bit of an arm-wrestle where we couldn’t quite get a grip of the game and we had to roll our sleeves up.

“It was a tough away game against a direct opponent, a well-coached team and a hostile crowd and the emotion of the stadium that can sway things which can give you a difficult night.”

But now, having brought their orange home shirts back, there is only one objective on their minds – PROMOTION.