Salford’s eighth straight win over Exeter deepens belief in Beckham-backed promotion plan
Salford City secured an eighth successive League Two victory against Exeter to move five points clear at the top this year, a run that has strengthened the sense that the club’s promotion ambitions are becoming more attainable under its new ownership.
After seven seasons in League Two, Salford are finally beginning to live up to the expectations attached to their high-profile backers; the Class of ’92 originally guided the club from non-league into the fourth tier but did not take them further. Gary Neville and David Beckham remain involved and are part of a new ownership group that took charge in May 2025, a takeover that has been followed by an increased budget and a series of higher-profile signings.
Those recruits include striker Macaulay Langstaff, signed from Championship Millwall, who last scored 28 goals in a season for Notts County when he previously played at this level, and Will Aimson, the matchwinner against Exeter, who had spent the past two seasons in the division above with Wigan and moved down because of Salford’s project. The club also overhauled the dugout, dismissing Karl Robinson after a playoff final defeat to Notts County and appointing 48-year-old Peter Cklamovski, an Australian who worked under Ange Postecoglou and most recently managed the Malaysia national team; Salford’s chief football adviser Paul Scholes said he had to Google the Australian before the appointment.
Off the field, the club reverted to its traditional orange shirts after a fan vote; the Class of ’92 had previously altered the colour to reflect links with Manchester United. Beckham, who turned Inter Miami into a brand valued at more than £1bn and made pink a central part of that club’s identity, picked the shade of orange and oversaw a badge redesign, though the piece noted it is uncertain whether new signings can match the commercial impact Lionel Messi’s presence had for Inter Miami. "Not many others play in orange, so if you’re going to see that kit around Manchester, you would know it’s not United or City," said Danny Shepherd of The Future Is Orange podcast.
Attracting new supporters is a stated objective but Salford face entrenched competition in a city dominated by bigger clubs; the article observed that even with Manchester City in a crisis and United’s form spiralling, persuading local fans to attend matches at the AIG Stadium remains difficult. Salford currently have the fourth-worst average attendance in League Two, and the report warned it would be optimistic to assume the club can build a Championship-sized fanbase quickly, even with measures such as subsidised away travel.
Cklamovski’s style of play featured prominently in the coverage: the Australian has sought to implement an aggressive, attacking approach learned from his mentor while adopting a pragmatic streak when necessary. After losing his first three games, he has mixed playing out from the back with a readiness to be more direct when required, a shift credited with improving results.
Supporters and commentators cited the squad’s depth as a key factor in the club’s current form. "I’d be disappointed if we didn’t go up because of the strength in depth," said Shepherd. "Last season we had certain linchpin players that if they weren’t available, then we had either a utility player, a youngster or someone whose quality is so much lower that it’s like falling off a cliff. I’m not a rose-tinted spectacles fan, I can’t see how this team cannot get promoted – I think we should win the league at a canter."
The match itself was a comeback. Salford were wasteful in the first half and vulnerable at the back; goalkeeper Will Norris was booked for rushing out of his area and fouling Sonny Cox, who opened the scoring for an Exeter side that had been unbeaten in their previous five games. Salford’s momentum shifted after Luke Molyneux went off injured and was replaced by Daniel Udoh in the 55th minute; Luke Garbutt levelled at the back post following Langstaff’s work on the right, and Will Aimson — a former Exeter centre-back — finished with a 25-yard shot into the top corner to secure the win.
The victory extended Salford’s winning run to eight matches and left them five points clear at the top, a sequence the coverage concluded makes the aim of reaching the Championship look more realistic for the club.