Salford City aspires to be recognized as the “best small club in the world by 2030,” and they’re banking on a rebranding effort inspired by David Beckham to boost their profile as a notable EFL League Two team.
This Saturday, Salford will face Manchester City in the fourth round of the FA Cup, providing a brief moment of international attention for the club. Although they suffered a heavy 8-0 loss at the Etihad in last year’s third round, the club aims to honor its legacy by returning to its traditional orange-and-black colors next season, echoing the path paved by Inter Miami, Beckham’s MLS franchise known for its iconic pink shirts.
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Since being co-owned by Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim and members of Manchester United‘s “Class of ’92” (including Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, and Phil Neville) after their 2014 takeover of the then-ninth-tier club (with Beckham joining as a shareholder in 2019), only Gary Neville and Beckham—along with a few other investors—currently hold shares in Salford. Despite the club achieving four promotions over five years to reach EFL status in 2019, the decision to ditch the traditional colors in favor of red, white, and black—reflecting Manchester United’s palette—was met with mixed reactions from supporters.
“When the [Class of ’92] lads took over the club, they thought switching to red, white, and black was a chance to innovate,” Beckham explained on Salford’s YouTube channel. “However, Gary quickly admitted that it might not have been the best choice.
“The fans connected Salford City with orange and black, and I saw how crucial having an identity was with Miami. Returning to that will restore the identity of what Salford represents.”
When Beckham and Neville took control of the club in May 2025—without any connections or partnerships to Inter Miami—they decided to reevaluate the club’s colors and crest, which had also undergone a redesign in 2014. Acknowledging the previous misstep, Neville put the matter to a vote among the club’s 1,100 season ticket holders, emphasizing that any adjustments must receive at least two-thirds support from fans.
During the ballot in October, 77.1% favored a return to orange and black, while 72% supported changing the team badge, meaning both will be updated at the start of the 2026-27 season. Additionally, plans will be made to change the stadium colors from red to orange in the future.
“The original switch was made because the new owners preferred red due to the connection with United, which naturally attracted some United fans to the club,” Salford CEO Gavin Fleig told ESPN.
“While the intentions were good, Gary admits it wasn’t the best decision for the club’s identity, which is why we are reverting to orange. In Salford or Manchester, seeing red instantly makes you think of United, not Salford. Moving forward, our hope is that when you see orange, you think of Salford City, extending beyond just Manchester.”
Beckham’s influence extends to the club’s new crest as well, with Salford hiring the New York-based brand consultancy Milk Agency—responsible for Inter Miami’s logo—to create their new emblem.
“Our current badge, introduced in 2014, doesn’t display our name, and as a modern football club seeking international recognition, it’s essential to have the name incorporated,” Fleig stated.
“We developed a crest that is uniquely ours, featuring authentic Salford elements.”
Following a narrow 1-0 defeat to Accrington Stanley, Salford missed the chance to secure a spot in the automatic promotion positions in League Two. However, they remain in the playoff zone and are determined to elevate their status further. The upcoming FA Cup match against City offers a welcome distraction from the promotion chase and a chance to witness the pinnacle of English football, which Salford is eager to reach.
“By 2030, we want to be recognized as the best small club in the world,” Fleig affirmed. “Our goal is to build a club ready for the Championship and with Premier League potential within five years. If we channel that ambition into our commercial endeavors, our first team, our Lionesses [women’s team], our academy, and our business operations, this club will thrive.”
But will the rebranding attract new supporters to Salford? Neville now sports an orange watch strap and carries an orange phone case as a reminder of the impending changes, and with red no longer part of the club’s identity, some supporters from City might be drawn to their local rivals.
“The rationale behind this isn’t to attract Manchester City fans,” Neville clarified. “But if that happens unintentionally, we’ll embrace it!”