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Old 15-05-2018, 09:11 AM   #21
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Default Re: Salford City

'I know what's expected of me coming here': Newly-appointed Salford City boss Graham Alexander ready for 24/7 job as he takes reins under ambitious and notorious owner Gary Neville

* Graham Alexander signed a four-year contract as manager of Salford City
* The 46-year-old replaces outgoing duo Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley
* Alexander is pumped and ready to take on an ambitious owner in Gary Neville
* The new boss claimed he is ready to take the reins in a non-stop, 24/7 job


Graham Alexander was in his Preston home when his mobile rang. It was a number he did not recognise and so he let it click to voicemail.

The message was from ex-Reading defender, Class of 92 member and Salford City sporting director, Chris Casper. It asked him if he fancied meeting up to talk about football and an opportunity with the newly promoted National League club.

Alexander, who had taken Fleetwood to League One and whose last post, at Scunthorpe, saw him dismissed with the club in the play-off positions in the same division, did not see it going anywhere.


Former Preston and Burnley midfielder Graham Alexander is ready to step us Salford City boss. The 46-year-old signed a four-year deal with the newly-promoted National League side

'It wasn't something I saw taking forward,' he reflects. 'But I thought it was polite to hear them out.'

The meeting took place at another Class of '92 venture, Hotel Football, in the shadow of Old Trafford. It soon became clear that this was not an opportunity to be scoffed at.

'They gave me the facts and figures about what it would take to get to where they want to go,' Alexander recalls. 'They were honest. There's no mistakes in what they say to you. Where they want to take the club and where they see me.'

The 46-year-old, who has more than 1,000 appearances with the likes of Preston and Burnley under his belt, is no mug. He sought assurances about resources, as Salford look for back-to-back promotions and a place in the Football League.


New manager Alexander will be assisted by ex-Bury defender and manager Chris Lucketti

'It was so in-depth because I had a lot of questions,' Alexander adds. 'I've learned in five years as a manager that you need to get as much info as you can.'

He liked the answers. Following a consultation with his wife and childhood sweetheart Karen ('you're the expert – do whatever you want to do') on Monday he was unveiled as the man who replaces the outgoing duo Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley, on a four-year contract.

We speak in the sleek main stand of the Peninsula Stadium, the club's revamped home. It used to be a grass bank. Everywhere you look there is progress. In front of us, the pitch has been stripped and Neville, a hive of activity, paces up and down taking phone call after phone call.

Is Alexander ready for the former United defender and his notorious work-ethic?

'I think Gary said himself he's a difficult man to work for. I don't see that. I think having that ambition and drive and a clear thought process about what's next is good. It takes away the grey areas. I know what's expected of me coming here. Every time I've spoken to Gary over the past week it's been like a machine gun of information. That's great, you have to take it all in.'

Has he had any 5am emails from his new boss yet? 'Not yet.' Alexander says with a smile. 'Don't worry about that. Listen, It's not a problem for me. In this job, we work on very little sleep anyway. It's 24/7 so that won't be any different. Hopefully he'll get used to my 4am emails to him.'

Alexander will have to get used to all that comes with the Salford gig. This is the most-scrutinised club outside the football league and there are plans for another documentary following the success of the BBC's warts-and-all two series 'Out of Their League'.

I spoke to Gary about it,' Alexander says. 'I'm under no pressure to do anything I don't want to. It won't be intrusive. I have come here to do the job properly and work as seriously as I always have and try not to have distractions. I am not here to be a TV personality - that is the last thing on my mind.'

All of that can wait. First up is a holiday he promised Karen and his children - son Callum, 21, and 19-year-old twins Kaitlin and Eden - they would not miss out on, not that he is expecting to do much sun bathing.

'It's Ibiza, but not the bit everyone thinks of! We've been the last couple of years. Last year the phone was non-stop. I was constantly walking down to the end of the garden. My family are well aware of that. 'There he goes, he's off again'. It's a big summer, it's a big step up. It's the first time Salford are in a national league.'

Alexander, who will be assisted by ex-Bury defender and manager Chris Lucketti, has already had texts from the likes of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, wishing him luck. It is not his first interaction with the group.

'At Burnley we got to the Premier League and the first home game was against United,' he recalls. 'Me and Ryan were two captains and I remember him saying we were probably the two oldest captains ever. I think Gary was (the captain) at Old Trafford. We won 1-0 at Burnley. You can put that in there! I've not reminded him yet. Get my feet under the table first!'

You get the sense that there will be little time to do that. The club mirrors its owners and is ambitious. Neville confirms as much.

'Of course, we're going to try to get promoted at the first attempt,' he says, matter-of-factly. 'I could sit here as an owner and say, 'Oh, it's going to be very difficult to go up next year'. Of course it is difficult but when that first ball is kicked next season and I'm sat here watching us play whoever of course I expect us to win.'

Neville is a realist, but the winning mentality that saw him pick up 20 trophies has not left him.

'I don't think any newly promoted club has done it,' he adds. 'I think it will be the most difficult thing we've ever done to do it but no one is going to lose sleep if we don't do it. But as I stand here now is that the target? Yes absolutely it's the target. It has to be.'

No pressure, Graham.

Code:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5728751/Salford-City-boss-Graham-Alexander-ready-24-7-job-takes-reins-owner-Gary-Neville.html
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Old 04-09-2018, 09:43 AM   #22
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Default Re: Salford City

Gary Neville pleads for help after Salford City's TRACTOR was stolen from their Moor Lane ground

* Salford City's tractor was stolen from their Moor Lane ground on the weekend
* Salford earlier reached out on Twitter, asking for any information they may have
* And then Gary Neville pleaded for help on his Twitter page on Monday morning


Gary Neville took to social media to plea for urgent help after Salford City's tractor was stolen on the weekend.

Former Manchester United right back Neville - co-owner of Salford alongside the Class of 92 stars Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, brother Phil and businessman Peter Lim - asked for help on his Twitter page.

43-year-old Neville asked his four million followers on Monday morning: 'Anyone help here?', after Salford earlier searched for any vital information regarding the stolen tractor.


Gary Neville has pleaded for help after Salford City's tractor was stolen from their ground. This is the tractor that was stolen from Salford City's Moor Lane ground on the weekend

Following the end of his playing days, the ex-England international - alongside the Class of 92 - agreed a deal to purchase Salford ahead of the 2014-15 campaign, with plans to get the side playing in the Football League.

They then agreed to sell a 50% stake in the club to Singapore businessman Lim.

Since 2014, the club have celebrated three promotions in four years, and they now compete in the National League.

And in their debut season in the league, Salford currently sit 11th with 12 points from their first opening games.

They were held to a 0-0 draw by Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday afternoon at Moor Lane.

Code:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6126527/Gary-Neville-pleads-help-Salford-Citys-TRACTOR-stolen-Moor-Lane-ground.html
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Old 24-01-2019, 09:33 AM   #23
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Default Re: Salford City

International star, England legend... and now a non-League owner! 'Proud' David Beckham reunited with Class of 92 as he buys 10% stake in Salford City

* David Beckham has joined Class of 92 stars Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, Gary and Phil Neville and Paul Scholes as a part owner of National League club Salford City
* The ex-Manchester United star has acquired a 10 per cent stake in the club
* Peter Lim, who owns Valencia, remains the largest shareholder with 40 per cent


David Beckham has joined his former Class of 92 team-mates and bought a stake in Salford City FC.

The former England captain has bought a 10 per cent stake in the National League club, joining Gary and Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt as joint-owners.

Beckham was not at a press conference called to announce the news in Manchester on Wednesday but is expected to attend his first game as soon as his involvement is approved by the FA.

Beckham said in a statement: 'It's a proud moment for me. It's a really special club and a special group of people. My early years in Manchester were all spent in Salford 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 Class of 92 took over in 2014 with the financial help of Singapore businessman Peter Lim. Between them the former United team-mates now own 60 per cent of the club.

Lim remains the single largest shareholder with the remaining 40 per cent. Beckham has wanted to be on board for some time but has recently been busy establishing a new MLS franchise in Miami.


David Beckham, has agreed to purchase a 10 per cent stake in non-League side Salford City. Along with Beckham, each of the Class of 92 stars now owns a 10 per cent stake in the club. In a video posted to his Instagram, Beckham explained the reasons behind his decision to join. He expressed how impressed he has been with the work done so far by his former team-mates

A Class of 92 statement said: 'From the very beginning we wanted David to be involved and now the time is right.

'We have grown to love this club and we would like to welcome David.'

Salford City are third in the National League, just a point off leaders Leyton Orient.

The aim is to gain promotion to the Football League with a place in the Premier League still the ultimate dream.

'I suppose Bournemouth are a model for that,' said Gary Neville. 'They are an established club in the top flight on gates of 10,000.'

Since buying the club, Neville and his former team-mates have redeveloped the stadium and set up an academy. Salford pay some of the best wages in non-league football, but despite this, they have tried to keep ticket prices reasonable and now attract more than 2,000 fans to home games.

Quote:
WHO OWNS WHAT?

Peter Lim - 40%

Gary Neville - 10%

Phil Neville - 10%

Nicky Butt - 10%

Ryan Giggs - 10%

Paul Scholes - 10%

David Beckham - 10%

Beckham was the big news and Neville revealed he is due to travel to Salford in the near future. The former Manchester United winger pre-recorded a message announcement for the media

Code:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-6622925/David-Beckham-reunited-Class-92-buys-10-stake-Salford-City.html
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Old 24-01-2019, 10:25 PM   #24
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Lengkap sudah komposisi Class of 92 di manajemen Salford City
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Old 12-05-2019, 04:05 AM   #25
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Default Re: Salford City

Selamat untuk Salford City yang baru saja berhasil promosi ke Football League. Perlahan tapi pasti semoga kelak bisa berkompetisi di Premier League juga

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Old 12-05-2019, 04:08 AM   #26
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Bahkan seluruh pemilik Salford City turut hadir di Wembley saat Salford City juara dan promosi ke League Two untuk pertama kalinya dalam sejarah klub tersebut

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Old 13-05-2019, 06:23 AM   #27
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Sekali lagi selamat yaaaa...

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Old 13-05-2019, 04:21 PM   #28
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Default Re: Salford City

ON THE ROAD: Salford City storm into the Football League but the Class of 92's club aren't finished there

* Salford City secured their promotion to the Football League on Saturday
* The Ammies saw off Fylde to reach League Two for first time in the club's history
* When Class of 92 bought the club, they set target of reaching the Championship


It was a clash of the multi-millionaires' clubs and those who believe their success is bought and inauthentic could feel vindicated by the fact that Wembley has never known a play-off with so few fans.

The 8,000 attendance — half the previous lowest for the fixture in the national stadium — is only marginally more than an established club like Wrexham have been attracting for some home games this season. That's hardly surprising.

Just five years ago Salford City were finishing 12th in a seventh-tier league which included Prescot Cables and Harrogate Railway Athletic.


Salford City secured their promotion to the Football League on Saturday as they beat Fylde 3-0

The scoreline slightly flattered them and demonstrated that there are no guarantees in football — even when you're spending the best part of £2m a year in the fifth tier, including £200,000 wages per annum for Adam Rooney, the striker signed from Aberdeen.

The giants of Graham Alexander's team were in the rearguard: captain Liam Hogan, Carl Piergianni alongside him and holding midfielder Gus Mafuta, another immovable force.

Fylde actually had the better of a first half in which Mani Dieseruvwe coolly slotted Salford ahead from close range, Andy Bond blew the chance of an equaliser and the losing side's substitute Nick Haughton — on early as part of a reshuffle after a defensive injury — was the most eye-catching player. Salford did not look back.

Piergianni rose above the Fylde defence to head home a corner. Full back Ibou Touray's cross on the hour looped in off the back post.


(L-R) Salford co-owners David Beckham, Gary Neville, Peter Lim, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs all watched from a box at Wembley

Alexander was reticent about discussing whether a fifth promotion in six years might be the next target for Gary Neville, billionaire Peter Lim and Co, though Karen Baird, the chairwoman, was more forthcoming after watching the team become the first to reach the Football League with back-to-back promotions.

'We've already got a meeting booked in for Monday morning with Gary — Mr Relentless!' she said. 'This is a little bit of history-making. So next year Graham should have ambitions to be up there again. Why not?'

When the dust had settled on Sunday, Neville indicated that spending would be less aggressive this summer than last, when a side was built that could compete in the National League or Football League. It will only be 'finessing', he said.

The concern with a story like this is where it all ends if the cash runs out. It's four years since North Ferriby United, a village club bankrolled by Steve and Eman Forster, son-in-law and daughter of Hull City owner Assem Allam, lifted the FA Trophy at Wembley. The Forsters lost interest. The club was liquidated in March.


A fifth promotion in six years might be the target for Neville, who is relentless for more success. A target of reaching the Championship in 15 years was set by the Class of 92 five years ago

'The idea of us busting a club would be as bad as it gets,' Neville said. 'The club is in an area we are very proud about. We love Salford as a city. There will be examples where owners have walked away but the proof will be in 20 years, not five minutes.

'There does seem to be a willingness to beat us — a level of ferocity towards us on social media. We have our women's team, youth team, foundation. But on social media, it's just a focus on how much we are paying.'

Money is certainly not the only reason why more established clubs have been eclipsed by Salford.

Wrexham still do not have their own full-time chief executive and there were signs of strain between the board and Supporters' Trust when the third managerial appointment of last season was announced.

Despite strong finances, their top scorer netted six times this season.

Hogan certainly deconstructs the notion that Salford are all flash cash. He was born in Salford, watched the club 'in the old stand', and after a bad injury had led him to give up on the idea of full-time football became a PE teacher at St Paul's C of E primary, next to the club's Moor Lane ground.

The Salford mascots at Wembley were in his former year six class.

'I came out of the game, didn't have that much of an opportunity again, worked in the community, worked for the schools and was just enjoying my semi-professional football at FC Halifax,' said the 30-year-old. 'I didn't expect all this.'

When the Class of 92 bought Salford City five years ago, they set a target of reaching the Championship in 15 years. 'Mr Relentless' is too wise to say that he is ahead of target, though it's hard to avoid the sense that the same challenge remains on course.

'I think if we carry on making good decisions, accepting that the going will get more difficult, we have a good chance of getting out of League Two in the next two or three years,' Neville said.

'The dream would be to reach League One and see what we do from there. If we carry on making good decisions, we can carry on going through the leagues.'

Code:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7021037/ON-ROAD-Salford-storm-Football-League-Class-92s-club-arent-finished-there.html
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Old 09-08-2019, 09:20 AM   #29
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Default Re: Salford City


Celebration of TalkTalk's five-year deal with Salford City
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Old 26-08-2019, 10:39 AM   #30
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Default Re: Salford City

When Sportsmail dismissed Salford's rise as a Class of 92 ego trip while nearby clubs fight off financial oblivion, it drew a passionate response from Gary Neville... So, is it a vanity project - or the future of football?

* Sportsmail's NICK HARRIS wrote off Salford City as a vanity project for owners
* The League Two club is run by Gary Neville and other members of Class of 92
* But when Sportsmail met Neville, he put out a passionate response on the club
* He believes the club is sustainable moving forward and is misjudged by critics


Some people think the Class of 92's stewardship of Salford City is a cash-strewn vanity project, and I was among them as recently as May 11 this year.

That was when the north-west minnows - owned by Gary Neville and his five former Manchester United team-mates since 2014 - beat National League rivals Fylde at Wembley to reach the Football League for the first time.

I began a burst of tweets: 'The romance of football: little Salford City, owned by a billionaire and six multi-millionaires, losing the thick end of £2million a year in England's FIFTH tier while paying players up to £200,000, winning promotion to the EFL. Underdog tales.'


Gary Neville outlined why Salford City is not a vanity project and the club is truly sustainable


Sportsmail's Nick Harris questioned the 'underdog' status of Salford when they were promoted


The tweets drew a passionate response from Neville which saw the writer and owner meet

This was a reference to the Singaporean tycoon and philanthropist Peter Lim, plus Neville and his brother Phil, and their fellow former Manchester United golden generation members Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and David Beckham.

My issue, as I detailed, wasn't people investing in clubs, per se, as long as that 'kick-starts a long-term plan of sustainable development'.

Rather, I argued, if rich owners try to sustain an unsustainable club, it will ultimately fail. '[Wembley] was less than nine per cent full for Salford's win,' I concluded. 'This isn't a sustainable community club at pro level. It's a vanity project.'

As they say on Twitter: RIP my mentions. Gary Neville himself weighed in: 'No way it's a vanity project. [You] would be wise to meet our staff, committee, local fans and ourselves to see if you still think the same.'

Which is how, three months later, I'm sitting face to face with Neville in his Manchester office as he rips apart the notion that the Salford venture is an ego trip with a documentary bolted on.

He explains how it came about - and may be sustained. He is meticulous, unapologetically frank - and disarming. He reveals that Salford are losing millions a year, probably about £3m in 2019-20 alone. And, for now, it will be Lim and not the Class of 92 who will shoulder that.

This will sit uneasily with many as financial carnage unfolds at Bury, Bolton and elsewhere.


Salford's on-pitch success has been met with criticism over the amount of owner investment. It is estimated by Sportsmail that Salford spend around £3m more than they earn currently

Bury are a club close to the Neville family's heart, with Gary's late father, Neville Neville, instrumental in saving them after a previous financial administration in 2002.

'I get tweeted all the time that I'm the cause of Bury going bust because I'm from Bury but didn't buy them,' says Neville. 'But the only people you can blame are Bury's owners.'

This is a reference both to a former owner Stewart Day, who 'spent eight million quid, thinking he could get to the Championship or whatever', and Steve Dale, who bought the club for a pound last December, kept over-spending and continued the path to oblivion.

But Neville argues - with validity - that English football has always mostly been bankrolled by businessman with deep pockets, most of them not reckless and a danger to their clubs. He says misinformation partly fuels critics of Salford. To paraphrase: yes, Salford have spent a lot, but not at the level most assume.

He gives an example from the days when it circulated as fact that players Gareth Seddon and Danny Webber were on £800 per week apiece in the Northern Premier League Division North.

'Actually they were on £400,' says Neville. 'People say we pay this, pay that, driving the market up… the market HAS gone through the roof but it's partly through what people think we're paying, not what we're paying.'

What strikes me is Neville's emotional, even visceral, attachment. He can watch every match live by private stream, wherever he is. 'Even last year when I went to Qatar at Christmas on holiday,' he says.

'Barrow away, and I was in a Costa coffee, in a Doha shopping centre, with my father-in-law, watching Salford, on my iPad, and didn't move for two hours. And, oh my God, we lost in the last minute.' Barrow's winner actually arrived in the fifth minute of added time. Neville rolls his eyes. 'You would NOT believe how p*****d off I was.'

He continues: 'Literally wherever I am, I'll watch. The first game of last season I watched from Greece. We drew with Leyton Orient. The first game this season, I was in Singapore, with Peter, and streamed it from my iPad to the telly.'

He was unable to travel to the second game of this season either, a 2-0 loss at Crawley a fortnight ago. But he watched.

'And it ruined my weekend as much as it did when I was playing. You know what I did that night? I went and sat in a wine bar in Ramsbottom on me own, and just had a few glasses of wine and some food. I had to drink!'

As Salford lie in 15th place in League Two on Monday morning - after one win, three draws and one defeat in five games - following a 2-2 draw at Carlisle on Saturday, it is instructive to understand how Neville & Co got here. The genesis was a train ride with Giggs in 2012 as he contemplated retirement. They agreed 'we have to do something in football. We'd made our names from opportunity and being in a youth team.'

A soccer school format was discarded. Heroes from Sir Bobby Robson to Glenn Hoddle had failed with that. 'It essentially becomes babysitting for kids rich enough to pay £300 a week and then you send them home on Friday,' Neville says. 'I said 'Giggsy, I don't fancy that. There needs to be a team for them… we need to get a club.'



'So the five of us sat in a room [Beckham only signed up in 2019] and agreed to take on a club. But it needed to mean something to us.'

Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Macclesfield and others were thus discounted. Lim, not involved at this point, suggested Salford. 'We players all grew up there, football-wise,' Neville says. 'Scholesy was born there. Giggsy lived there for 30 years. Salford was one of England's biggest cities without a league club.'

Talks began with Salford president David Russell and chairman Karen Baird - both still in those positions almost six years later. Also there in 2013-14 and still there: club secretary Andy Giblin, burger maestro Barbara 'Bab' Gaskell, Buck the barman, groundsman George Russell, Bill the odd-job man, the turnstile operators, and on and on. One difference is they get paid these days. Another - pivotal to it all - is annual spending isn't thousands but millions.

Once a takeover was agreed in 2014, Neville and Baird went on an extensive fact-finding mission to clubs who had or were making 'the journey up the pyramid'. They visited FC United of Manchester, Fylde, Fleetwood, Morecambe and AFC Wimbledon and spent 'hours with each of them, asking 'How do you do this?'.'

Neville says: 'They had different experiences, fan-owned, entrepreneur-owned, different models all with their challenges.

'They told us everything they'd done wrong and we were like sponges… we spoke to owners, sporting directors, technical directors, commercial managers, and we wrote it all down and came back and wrote our plan.'

That plan, running to 40 pages of forensic, budgeted detail, included: four promotions in eight years (four in five achieved), a new stadium fit for League One (done) a women's team (done), a development squad (done), an academy (done), new training facilities (done), increased gates (done, from 200 fans to 3,500 this season), the cheapest prices in the top five divisions (done, from £100 season tickets with £10 per game walk-up and £5 concessions).

Gate receipts could be higher with higher prices but are still the second biggest revenue stream (at around £500,000) after 'TV money', aka redistribution cash from the Premier League of £1m. Commercial income and earnings from an ongoing documentary project add to the coffers. On the flip side, player wages, as everywhere, are the biggest cost.

Neville and Baird reveal their blueprint set a policy that Salford would have a player budget 30 to 50 per cent higher than the average in any given division. In other words, not the biggest, but likely within the top six, to give them a solid promotion shot in any given season.

Neville and Baird won't disclose precisely their finances for this term but Sportsmail calculates - given player costs elsewhere - that Salford's will be in the region of £2.5m, so inside the top six but not top.

Including transfers and running expenses, they will spend about £3m more than they earn - barring lucrative FA Cup draws or player sales for big sums.

Lim is the loyal, bullish, wise, supportive constant in the background. Neville says Lim's key piece of advice throughout has been that spending more on getting promoted quickly will ultimately save money versus getting promoted slowly.


Neville and chairwoman Karen Baird went on a fact-finding mission after the club was bought

Lim also, since the start of last season, has taken responsibility for all the club's losses, injecting equity to cover them. Up until then Lim and the Class of 92 funded the club 50-50.

'Yeah, we've thrown a load of money at it. We built a stadium. We've now got a Football League team. But it's been done with our personal money and Peter's money,' Neville says. 'We know we'll have significant losses for the next few years. A lot of clubs in League Two and League One have significant losses subsidised by owners.'

Neville says 'not a day goes by' when he doesn't spend time thinking how Lim may one day recoup his investment.

Salford have two routes to sustainability, Neville says. 'We either row back [cutting budgets and perhaps falling back down the divisions], which we're not going to do, or we jump forward. And that's it. In between leaves you in a position where you've got a subsidised loss. As long as you're prepared to subsidise that loss, you're fine.'

As our graphic shows, the wealth divide in wage terms between England's top and bottom divisions has become an abyss. A wage cap for the Football League was mooted recently at a meeting of chairmen and will be formally proposed at next year's AGM, with different levels for League Two, League One and the Championship.

Even if that were in place, the higher Salford go, the more it will cost before - big if - they reach the riches of what Neville describes as 'the promised land' - the Premier League.

Lim's portfolio includes La Liga club Valencia, Cristiano Ronaldo's image rights and a stake in McLaren F1 team. Neville says Lim invests just because he enjoys it. 'He built himself into a self-made double billionaire.

'He's got a point where he's does things he enjoys and he does things he can afford. It's that simple. He loves football.'

As for the critics, Neville says: 'We could have put our money into anything: our bank accounts, cars, holidays, shops, restaurants, property, stocks, anything.

'We choose to put this money into a football club. I've never had a single person in five years come up to me on the street and say I'm ruining football.'

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