Salford Metropolis hoping Man United alums, rebrand helps push for international fame

Salford Metropolis have ambitions to grow to be the “greatest small membership on the earth by 2030” and they’re banking on a David Beckham-inspired rebrand to make the EFL League Two membership probably the most recognizable, too.

Saturday’s FA Cup fourth spherical go to to Manchester Metropolis will give Salford a fleeting second within the international highlight. The crew misplaced 8-0 on the Etihad in final season’s third spherical, however a return to the membership’s conventional colours of orange-and-black from subsequent season is designed to honor the crew’s heritage concurrently following the trail taken by Inter Miami, Beckham’s MLS franchise, with their immediately recognizable pink shirts.

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Having been co-owned by Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim and members of Manchester United‘s “Class of ’92” — Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt and Phil Neville — following a takeover of the then-ninth tier crew in 2014 (Beckham grew to become a shareholder in 2019), solely Gary Neville and Beckham, alongside a number of different buyers, now have a stake within the membership. However regardless of Salford securing 4 promotions in 5 years to earn EFL standing in 2019, the choice by Neville in 2014 to dispense with the membership’s conventional colours and play in the identical crimson, white and black as United wore was by no means universally widespread with supporters.

“When the [Class of ’92] lads took over the membership, they felt that going to crimson, white and black was a chance to vary issues up,” Beckham informed Salford’s YouTube channel. “However Gary admitted fairly rapidly which will have been a mistake.

“The followers related Salford Metropolis with being orange-and-black, and I’ve seen with Miami that it may be so necessary with the followers and the membership [to have an identity]. Going again to that actually offers us that id of what Salford is all about.”

After taking management of the membership with Beckham in Might 2025 — there is no such thing as a multi-club hyperlink or partnership with Inter Miami — Neville and his former United teammate determined to rethink the membership colours and crew crest, which was additionally changed by a brand new model in 2014. However after getting it unsuitable the primary time, Neville put it to a vote of the membership’s 1,100 season ticket holders, insisting that any change have to be backed by at the least two-thirds of the supporters.

When the poll was held final October, 77.1% voted to revert to orange-and-black, whereas 72% backed a change of the crew badge, which implies each will change from the beginning of the 2026-27 season. Work can even be executed at a later date to vary the colours of the stadium from crimson to orange.

“The unique change was executed as a result of the incoming homeowners preferred crimson as a result of United hyperlink and naturally, it introduced loads of United followers into the membership,” Salford CEO Gavin Fleig informed ESPN.

“However whereas these intentions had been good, Gary acknowledges it wasn’t the perfect transfer by way of the membership and its id, and that is why we’re altering again to orange. In the event you’re in Salford or Manchester and also you see crimson, you assume United, not Salford. However transferring ahead, you will very positively assume Salford Metropolis, and never simply in Manchester, as a result of we expect the brand new id will carry us loads additional than that.

“Earlier than becoming a member of Salford, I labored for the Metropolis Soccer Group the place we had Palermo as a part of the group. Palermo was the primary membership to put on pink globally, however individuals mechanically consider Miami now. That is most likely the place David comes into this as a result of he has been very, very eager on the change. In the event you see a pink shirt, you assume it is Miami; our want can be that you simply see orange and also you assume Salford.”

Beckham’s affect has additionally prolonged to the brand new Salford crest, with the membership hiring Milk Company, the New York-based model consultancy that designed Inter Miami’s badge, to provide Salford’s new emblem.

“Our current badge, launched in 2014, would not have our identify on it and as a contemporary soccer membership, if you wish to be acknowledged internationally, you want your identify on the badge,” Fleig mentioned.

“We got here up with a crest that’s distinctive to us. It has quite simple, genuine Salford parts to it.”

Salford’s 1-0 defeat away to Accrington Stanley of their final league fixture denied the crew the possibility to climb into the automated promotion spots in League Two, however they continue to be within the playoff zone with their ambitions of elevation to the next degree nonetheless intact. The FA Cup sport at Metropolis provides a break from the promotion push and a glimpse of the highest of the pyramid, which Salford are decided to achieve.

“By 2030, we wish to grow to be the perfect small membership on the earth,” Fleig mentioned. “That is what we wish to obtain.

“We wish to construct a membership that is prepared for the Championship that has Premier League potential within the subsequent 5 years. If we apply that ambition in our business and our first crew, our Lionesses [women’s team], our academy and our enterprise operations, this membership might be very, very profitable.”

However can the rebrand appeal to new supporters to Salford? Neville now wears an orange watch strap and has an orange cellphone case to remind him of the change that’s coming and, with United crimson not a part of the membership’s material, some Metropolis supporters may now be attracted to observe their close to neighbors.

“The considering behind this is not to please Manchester Metropolis followers,” Neville mentioned. “But when there may be an unintended profit, we’ll take it!”