Crewe Alexandra couldn’t resist a cheeky dig at Salford City co-owner Gary Neville following their 3-1 win on the opening day of the League Two season.
It was a rough start for Salford, who were outplayed on home turf by a clinical Crewe side.
Neville, in attendance and watching from the director’s box, was pictured with his hand pressed to the glass — a moment that quickly became meme-worthy.
Crewe seized the opportunity to poke fun.
Crewe Alexandra couldn’t resist a cheeky dig at Salford City co-owner Gary Neville following their 3-1 win on the opening day of the League Two season
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Sharing the photo on social media platform X, they captioned it: “Nah it was three, Gary,” — a reference to both Neville’s five fingers on the window and the three goals scored by the visitors.
Neville, along with David Beckham, recently completed a full takeover of Salford as part of a consortium, buying out fellow Class of ’92 members Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, and Nicky Butt.
The new ownership group has reportedly invested up to £15million, with the goal of reaching the Championship within five years.
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But Saturday’s result was a setback for those ambitions.
Crewe’s victory was spearheaded by a first-half brace from Conor Thomas.
After Salford were denied early momentum when Ben Woodburn’s fourth-minute penalty was brilliantly saved by keeper Tom Booth, the visitors took control.
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Nah it was three Gary.#CreweAlex pic.twitter.com/5303FnP7q6
— Crewe Alexandra (@crewealexfc) August 2, 2025
Eight minutes in, a goalmouth scramble ended with the ball bouncing off Salford’s Kadeem Harris and over the line, giving Crewe an early lead.
Harris made amends later in the half, coolly finishing into the bottom corner after being set up by Kallum Cesay to bring Salford level.
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But Thomas soon took centre stage. In the 41st minute, he slotted home from close range after good work by Josh March on the flank.
Just before the break, he struck again — tapping in from a loose ball after Tommi O’Reilly’s shot was spilled by keeper Matty Young.
Crewe were too strong for Salford in their League Two showdown
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Crewe nearly added a fourth in the second half when O’Reilly smashed a shot off the crossbar, but the damage was already done.
Reacting to the defeat, Salford boss Karl Robinson said: “Over the last 18 months we’ve built the very basic principles of how to defend crosses and how to track runners into the box. And today for us to be flippant in the goals that we conceded, they’re schoolboy goals. However, I know where the problems lie.”