David Beckham and Gary Neville were left heartbroken as Salford City suffered a 3-0 defeat to Notts County in the League Two play-off final at Wembley on Monday afternoon. The match, played in scorching heat, marked the conclusion of the EFL season. Beckham and Neville, part of Salford's ownership group, watched from the stands but could not inspire their team to victory, ensuring the club remains in the fourth tier for an eighth consecutive season.
Missed Opportunities
Salford had narrowly missed out on automatic promotion on the final day after a 0-0 draw with relegation-threatened Crawley Town. They then progressed through the play-off semi-finals by defeating Grimsby Town 4-3 on aggregate following a dramatic second leg. However, goals from Alassan Jatta, Lucas Ness, and Jodi Jones on Monday dashed Karl Robinson's side's hopes of reaching the third tier for the first time in the club's history.
Glum Looks in the Stands
Neville and Beckham were pictured looking dejected in the stands, joined by former Manchester United teammate Paul Scholes. Scholes was previously part of the Class of 92 ownership group, which was replaced by a new consortium led by Neville and Beckham last year. The original group also included Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, and Gary's brother Phil Neville. Former Lioness Jill Scott was also seen at Wembley, sitting next to Neville and Beckham, both of whom were dressed in suits.
After the final whistle, Beckham shook hands with the jubilant Notts County players as they celebrated near the owners' seats. The victory marks Notts County's return to League One for the first time since 2015, just three years after their promotion back into the EFL following four seasons in the National League.
Beckham's Ambitions
Speaking last year about the new ownership group, Beckham outlined his commitment and ambitions for the club. He said: "I will be over every big decision that's made and every little decision that's made. That's what my commitment is to Gary. It's what my commitment is to the club. We're definitely not doing it for a laugh and it's also not for the romantic side of things."
"Yes, we care about the club - but we're doing it to win. We want Salford to be successful and we have had success, but then we want it to go on to the next level. I always dream big so I'm always going to want us to get to the pinnacle of football and be in the Premier League. But there's a lot of hard work and a lot of investment to be done up until that point. The Championship is a league that we want to get in but it's step by step. We want success very quickly but these things take time."
The loss was a brutal end to the season for Salford, who had also just missed out on automatic promotion. Despite the disappointment, Beckham and Neville remain committed to the club's long-term success.
