No this isn't a Landon Donovan-esque comeback. And yes his Sisyphus-esque journey to get Miami back in MLS is still making its way. But now the former Manchester United and England star is returning to one of his home areas to join up with his Class of 92 teammates as a minority owner of Salford City.
If you've seen the occasional headlines or watched the Netflix special "Class of '92: Out of Their League," then you are aware of the turnaround project the group has been managing and funding.
If you haven't already seen the special, clear your schedule this week and add it to your Netflix queue. Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt took over the non-league club in the summer of 2014. The level of involvement by each varied, but they set their ambitions to reach the Championship by 2030.
Soon after the takeover, the group sold half of the shares to Peter Lim, a Singapore billionaire and owner of Valencia in La Liga.
Salford City Club Statement.
— Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) January 23, 2019
The Class of 92 switched Salford's colors from black and tangerine to their familiar red, white and black from Manchester United. An influx of new talent, led by Gareth Seddon, saw Salford climb from the Northern Premier League — Division One North (Tier 8) up to the National League North (Tier 6) on the back of two straight promotions.
Salford kept improving, since forming a women's side as well, and the documentary crew has continued filming. The club won the National League North last season, moving it up to the National League, just one step away from what is called "league football" in the UK — the top four tiers.
Salford City are delighted to announce that David Beckham has acquired shares in the club, subject to FA approval.#WeAreSalfordpic.twitter.com/yA4ypdIPo5
— Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) January 23, 2019
Beckham bought in at 10 percent of the club, joining his five teammates, and dropping Peter Lim's stake down to 40%.
Beckham stated: "It's a really special club and a special group of people. My early years in Manchester were all spent in Salford. I grew up there in many ways, so to be able to finally join the lads and the club today is a great feeling. Salford City has achieved so much success in a short space of time. The fans are incredible and I'm really excited to be spending more time in Salford again."
Beckham's arrival should continue the wave of momentum the tiny club has seen over the past five years. Massive stadium renovations, multiple promotions, the start of the women's team and now internationally known through its big-name owners and Netflix-backed TV series, Salford City seems destined for EFL League Two and higher. Currently, the club sits second in the National League, just three points behind Leyton Orient for automatic promotion.
Do you fall on the side that sees this as an interesting story of building up a small club to the top or simply as buying your way up the English ladder, like Manchester City's rise to the top of the Premier League, just on a smaller scale? Is the appeal of a tiny club turned around by top-flight legends enough of a heart-warming story to overcome how fast and easy their funds have fueled the rise?
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