Salford City have announced that co-owner Nicky Butt has stepped down from his role as the club’s Chief Executive Officer after two years in the role.
A statement on the club’s website announced the news, adding: “Nicky was appointed Chief Executive in October 2022. He will remain an active shareholder and Board Director but has decided that he cannot dedicate the time required to continue as CEO”.
Butt added: “Whilst I have enjoyed the day-to-day responsibilities of the Chief Executive role and discovered a huge amount about the challenges an EFL club faces away from the football pitch, I have recently realised how much I miss the coaching and development of players”.
Early rapid progress
The Class of 92- made up of former Manchester United players Gary and Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Butt bought the club in 2014 along with Singaporean businessman Peter Lim. Gary, Giggs, Scholes and Butt visited Salford for a match against Curzon Ashton in March of that year.
In the first two seasons under the new ownership, Salford achieved back-to-back promotions, taking them into the National League North. They finished fourth in the regular season before losing out to FC Halifax Town in the play-off semi-finals.
The following season they won the title, before achieving back-to-back promotions again when they beat AFC Fylde in the National League Promotion Final. This ascent was achieved with Gary Neville in the position of CEO.
Solidifying before change at the top
Salford’s first season in the EFL saw them secure an 11th placed finish in League Two, also winning the EFL Trophy after beating holders Portsmouth in a delayed final. The next two campaigns saw them finishing in eighth and tenth.
Early in the 2022-23 season Gary Neville announced that he was stepping down as CEO, citing other commitments meaning that he was unable to dedicate the time that was needed in the role and Butt would be replacing him.
Butt’s first season at the top of the club proved to be their best league season yet, securing a seventh placed finish and a place in the play-offs. However, they were beaten by local rivals Stockport County in the semi finals.
Disappointing campaign leads to pressure
Question marks began to be asked about the club’s ownership during the 2023-24 season, which proved to be the first poor campaign under the Class of 92. A poor first half of the season led to the sacking of Neil Wood with the club fourth from bottom of the table.
Karl Robinson was named as his replacement and had a dramatic debut, as he was sent off after just 14 minutes of the game against Forest Green Rovers. He eventually guided the club to 20th place. After the season, Butt reiterated the owners’ commitment to the club.
So far this season, the club are 16th in the table after collecting 12 points from their opening 10 games. All three of their wins have come at home. They are six points off the play-off places, but five points clear of the relegation zone.
What next for Salford City?
The club has confirmed that Jonathan Jackson will take over as interim CEO. Jackson currently works as Finance Director at the club and has over a decade of experience in a similar role working in the Premier League and EFL. He has previously assisted the Class of 92 since their takeover of the club.
After their rapid rise through the non-league pyramid following the takeover and reaching the League Two play-offs two seasons ago, the club faced a relegation battle last season and there is a sense that they may have hit the peak of what they are able to achieve.
This will mark the first time since the takeover that the role of CEO has been undertaken by somebody other than one of the co-owners. Whether this will be the fresh start that sees the club progress again only time will tell- starting at Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.