Salford City in Crisis: Post-Wembley Heartbreak and Managerial Shake-Up

Paul Scholes displayed an immovable expression as he navigated the mixed zone at Wembley, mirroring the stoic demeanor he had maintained while seated beside former Manchester United teammate David Beckham in the Royal Box. As Salford City’s 3-0 play-off final loss to Notts County played out, Scholes had just visited the losing dressing room to offer whatever comfort he could following the crushing defeat. When a reporter called out, “Time for a word, Paul?” as he passed, the former England midfielder turned, let out a scoff, and kept walking. There seemed little left to say.

Manager Karl Robinson stood in roughly the same spot minutes later, offering a stark assessment. “We were beaten in every area of the pitch,” he admitted. “I apologise to the supporters that we couldn't give them what they wanted.”

The defeat immediately sparked sarcastic commentary on social media, particularly targeting co-owner Gary Neville, who had recently offered blunt advice on Sky Sports regarding how other clubs should be managed, only for his own club to falter. Former joint manager Anthony Johnson was among those to weigh in. Johnson, alongside Bernard Morley, had previously guided Salford to three promotions and starred in the BBC’s Out of Their League, which documented the early days of the new ownership. They departed in 2018 after leading the team to the National League.

“We left Salford City eight years ago after winning three promotions,” Johnson wrote on X. “Since then they've won one promotion, and that was the season after we'd left with the majority of the squad we put together. I do sometimes wonder…”

Nine days later, Robinson was dismissed. Salford released an eight-line statement declaring the decision “not been easy” but reached “unanimously.”

Contrary to popular belief, Neville did not initiate Robinson’s sacking. As chief football adviser, Scholes, along with chief executive Gavin Fleig, provided guidance on major footballing decisions. These recommendations were then presented to the executive team and ultimately approved by the broader ownership group, of which Neville is merely one member.

While fourth place in the fourth tier might represent Salford’s highest-ever finish, it fell short of pre-season targets. Robinson had been clear that promotion was the objective. Senior officials believed that with a revamped ownership structure, renewed drive, and a significant wage bill—especially with rivals like Wrexham and Stockport no longer in the mix—they were well-positioned to achieve this. However, the plan unraveled.

Despite leading the pack for much of the season, Salford suffered a devastating run of four consecutive losses in February against teams that ultimately finished in the bottom third. A final-day draw with struggling Crawley and the Wembley collapse sealed their fate. Had they won any of those matches, promotion would have been secured. Instead, they face an eighth consecutive season in League Two.

Salford was not the only ambitious club to miss out on promotion via the play-offs this year. Stockport and Bradford both lost in League One, while Wrexham failed to even reach the Championship play-offs, being edged out by champions Hull City on the final day.

Nevertheless, Salford remains stagnant where they have been since 2019. Alongside Wrexham and Stockport, Notts County and Bromley have all surpassed them, having all competed in the National League as recently as 2022.

To grasp the significance of this stagnation, one must look back to 2014. When the “Class of 92”—Scholes, Neville, his brother Phil, Ryan Giggs, Nicky Butt, and later Beckham—acquired the club with substantial financial backing from Singaporean businessman Peter Lim, the long-term goal was the Championship. At the time, this ambition appeared unrealistic. Salford was then in the Northern Premier League’s second division, the eighth tier of English football, often playing before crowds of fewer than 100. However, perceptions shifted dramatically after four promotions in five seasons and massive investment...

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-04 11:08:07 UTC