‘Hypocrisy’ – Gary Neville and Simon Jordan come to blows over Salford City revelation

Gary Neville and Simon Jordan come to blows on social media over the revelation made about League Two side Salford City in April.

The row took place on Twitter after Gary Neville had praised the UK government’s decision to introduce an independent regulator in football, having campaigned for it himself.

This means that a regulator will have the power to sanction clubs who break financial rules, allow fans to have a greater say in the running of the game and scrutinise all prospective new owners.

Neville described it as “the biggest reform in English football since 1992” – the year the Premier League was formed.

Gary Neville bought Salford – then a non-league club – with other Class of ’92 teammates Nicky Butt, Phil Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in 2014.

Since then, they’ve seen a huge investment from Singaporean businessman Peter Lim and former England captain David Beckham, been promoted four times, sealed a place in League Two in May 2019 and won the EFL Trophy 12 in March 2021.

However, with the club targetting a playoff place, Neville and his colleagues have been slammed for how much they’ve put into Salford after details claimed that Project 92 Limited – the club’s parent company – is losing £91,000 each week. See more on those figures HERE

Salford will always come under scrutiny from football fans for ‘buying their way into the EFL’ with the aim to continue climbing up the English football pyramid.

Gary Neville has also been criticised for the club’s treatment of managers, with one of them being Richie Wellens in March 2021, a week after his side won the EFL Trophy Final at Wembley.

Former Crystal Palace chairman turned talkSPORT presenter Simon Jordan has condemned Gary Neville for his comments about the new regulator. “How about it doesn’t deal with the one that needs to be dealt with… the redistribution of finances,” tweeted Jordan.

How about it doesn’t deal with the one thing that needs to be dealt with … re distribution of finances or that detail evade you ?

If absurd notion of independent regulation occurs , let’s hope your club Salford observes FFP and SCMP , as I’m not sure it does! https://t.co/CLrpAGzGih

— Simon Jordan (@Sjopinion10) April 25, 2022

“Or did that detail evade you? If the absurd notion of an independent regular occurs, let’s hope your club Salford observes FFP (Financial Fair Play) and SCMP (Salary Cost Management Protocol) – as I’m not sure it does!”

Neville replied: “The sports minister repeated what the report says – that if football doesn’t do it, then a regulator will step in. The Premier League know the acceptable EFL deal. You’re aware through League Two SCMP rules, we put our cash in up front at Salford. Cash up front/bank guarantee should be in every league!”

Jordan said: “The report (independent fan-led review) is laughable – 162 pages of absurd, misrepresentative, poor thinking. It’s flawed inaccurate and any half-sensible person will drive a bus through 80 per cent of it. With the other 20 per cent having efficacy. By the way, get your house in order with FFP – as huge losses at Salford is hypocrisy.”

Neville added: I don’t support FFP without an owner funding model and haven’t for 10 to 12 years. No football executives have ever moved the government as much as they’ve moved with this report! Whilst I’m always sceptical of this lot (Boris Johnson’s government), your analysis is crass and incorrect. Tracey Crouch (the MP leading the proposals) has cross-party support.”

Jordan ended: “It’s the blind leading the blind is the cross-party support ideal you are advocating. Sustainable football clubs are the bedrock of what is required, not owner funded models… grow up! Stop playing to the gallery.”

G Nev left a laughing emoji.

Twitter users had their say as Gary Neville and Simon Jordan come to blows over the Salford City revelation…

@davidcondron42: Get @GNev2 on the show, Simon. It would be absolutely epic @talkSPORT @JimWhite

@topbrewer: Yes it would, Simon would have him in knots

@FloydThom2: Well said Simon 👍🏼

@PaulDuckett: Losing £90k a week. What a way to run a league 2 club

@aliwell_north: Read the other day for every £100 Salford FC earn they spend £143! He then has the temerity to have a pop at City about how they earn / spend money!

@richdstew: @GNev2 another champagne socialist do as I say not as I do type, wonder if he’s brave enough to come on talk sport and debate this with real football fans

@GustarDiane: @GNev2 thinks he’s a intellect and has dreams of becoming a leading politician. He made his money from kicking a bag of wind around, now he’s become a bag of wind.

@SaM81M: He won’t dare to debate with you Simon 😂, this is not the first time you comment and he doesn’t respond

@witham_shaun: Only club in L2 to regularly get TV money. Can anyone guess what club. What do you think Gary

@OracleUtd: @GNev2 the populist king strikes again. Talking nonsense with confidence to appeal to the masses. Had this with his absurd utterances on United. I think the United board finally worked it out. The United fans however….

@Michael96779218: Gary just criticises and does not give solutions…. He’s one of those

@Sandancer1977:
Gary Neville’s @GNev2 logic ;
✅ Salford city have money, they can invest and compete. Investment is good.
❌ PL clubs who have money cannot invest and spend. We need to stop them investing.
It’s hypocritical.

@Andrewdohe: How about trying to stop the scandalous amount of money that agents are being paid? Money going out of the game that will never come back in. Also a wage cap too as salaries are only goin to go one way with the Haaland deal and the rumoured figures around that?

@Sandancer1977: Spot on. If the regulation protects the status quo, and the “greedy bid six clubs” from competition then its a bad thing. FFP simply protects them. It’s their shield from competition. If clubs can invest, and its sustainable, then there’s no valid reason to stop them doing so.

@FlannyDavid: Has Gary ever come close to engaging in a debate with you Simon? My impression is he would avoid at all costs.

@EdThorn5: Surely you’re not suggesting @GNev2 would indulge in any hypocrisy. The anti-Glazer rhetoric plays to a gallery but does little to acknowledge net spend at MU is on par with every elite club. If he wants them out he needs to accept MU would most likely be highly leveraged p/sale.

@seanoregan05: Do any clubs especially in the Premier League abide by FFP properly or do they just use loopholes and technicalities to work round it?

@jamescowley22: Spot on Simon. Unless there is a more even distribution of finances and less of a huge reward for getting to the Premier League, chairmen/chairwomen will continue to behave wrecklessly.

@HJDavies3: I am first and foremost a football fan, season ticket holder for 40 years. I have also worked in the football finance arena as a corporate finance advisor for one of the majors. Football is completely corrupt to the bare bones, this latest “Fans review” will accomplish sweet FA