Beckham visits Salford City as throne spectacle marks club's revival

David Beckham's trip to Salford City was marked by a two-metre throne erected inside the club's stadium, a spectacle tied to Fireball Whiskey's hospitality concept and emblematic of the high-profile ownership that has helped guide the club through a precarious period. The Manchester United legend, who shares ownership of Salford with former teammate Gary Neville, has recently spoken about helping to save the Ammies from a serious situation, a storyline that has drawn attention to the club's fortunes off the pitch as well as on it. Beckham, 50, has spent much of his time stateside with Inter Miami, but his focus for the weekend was on the Salford side he still regards as part of his football family.

Beckham's visit coincided with a dramatic late twist at the 12,000-seat ground as Salford City edged Swindon Town 3-2 after a stoppage-time goal from Kallum Cesay. The Ammies had fallen behind early, racing into a 2-0 deficit, only to fight back as Swindon equalised before Cesay's late strike secured the win. The match provided a tangible reminder of the club's ongoing bid to consolidate its revival under Neville and Beckham's shared stewardship.

The event also featured a notable on-site moment: content creator Jake Bhardwaj swapped a standard stadium seat for Fireball's so-called The Shot Seat, and Beckham ended up sitting beside him for portions of the contest. Bhardwaj, who has produced football content across various venues, described the scene as surreal and a new benchmark for fan engagement. "I've done football boxes, I've seen the padded seats, but nothing comes close to sitting on a velvet throne with a Balti pie and a Fireball ice-cold shot. And then Beckham crashes the match? Surreal. This is how football should be done," he said.

Fireball's involvement centers on The Shot Seat, a bold red velvet throne described by the brand as a rebellious, fan-focused experience designed to elevate hospitality during matches. Lorenzo Farronato, a Fireball spokesperson, said the setup challenges the sport's traditionally static hospitality model and aims to deliver a more energetic, fan-centric vibe. "Football has too many cold benches and too much stale hospitality. The Shot Seat flipped the script – fiery, fun and always for the fans. Sorry Becks, but everyone knows which seat was the real headline act," Farronato said.

Beckham spoke about the club's recent trajectory in a period of consolidation and renewal. In an interview published by The Athletic, he recalled the moment he and Neville confronted a financial and structural challenge earlier this year, saying: "When Gary came to me and said, 'OK, this is the situation, we need to find a way of saving the club,' I was concerned. For him more than anyone, because Gary committed to Salford from day one. I've spent a lot of time there but I know what it means to him. I know what the people in the club mean to him. I know what the fans mean to him." He added that the decision to act was rapid and resolute, noting that the values formed in their youth—families, support for players and fans—made the choice straightforward: "Without even asking me it was always going to be a yes for many reasons. The values we always had as kids, with our families, with our mums and dads, with our kids now. We were part of a football club that had real values, that looked after people, that looked after their players, looked after their fans. That's when we knew we needed to make this happen."

The evening underscored Beckham's continued, if intermittent, involvement with Salford City's day-to-day life as a club. While his schedule often centers on his Inter Miami commitments and other projects in the United States, the event demonstrated that his connection to the club—built through Neville and the group’s broader ownership network—remains a central pillar of Salford's story as they navigate the challenges of sustaining upward momentum in their league. Beckham emphasized the balance between his various obligations, but his presence and remarks on saving the club reinforced the sense that Salford's revival remains a shared, long-term project rather than a short-term venture.

The Salford-Swindon game concluded with a late rally that will be remembered for its drama as much as for Beckham's appearance in the stands and the spectacle surrounding The Shot Seat. The two-goal burst early in the game gave Salford the platform to chase a victory that was never assured, and Cesay's stoppage-time strike provided a fitting finale to a night that married sport with entertainment and a celebration of the club's renewed sense of purpose. As Salford continues to rebuild, the events of the weekend—an iconic football figure visiting a club with a storied, if sometimes turbulent, recent history, a high-concept hospitality experience, and three pivotal points—will likely be cited by supporters as a symbolic turning point in the Ammies’ ongoing journey.