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Ryan Giggs is expected to make an appearance at Salford City’s FA Cup clash against Manchester City after rumours he could soon return to management.
The former Wales winger represented the red side of Manchester for the entirety of his career, becoming one of the most decorated footballers of all time, winning a record 13 Premier League titles and making over 1,000 appearances. Among his remarkable trophy haul is four FA Cups, three League Cups, two Champions League titles, a FIFA Club World Cup and a UEFA Super Cup.
After retiring from playing in 2014, he took on an assistant manager role at United before taking charge of Wales in 2018, having captained his country as a player and made 64 appearances.
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He also purchased Salford City alongside his former United ‘Class of ’92’ teammates Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, becoming the club’s director of football last year. The club has since had a dramatic rise, going from the eighth tier of England football to League Two in the space of five seasons.
Like his former teammates, Giggs has never been short of cash to splash, having reportedly been paid over £80,000 a week while at United. He is believed to have a net worth of around £50 million.
However, his huge fortune reportedly took a major dent years ago, when it was revealed that he had cheated on his wife Stacey Cooke. There were idyllic beginnings for the couple as they married in 2007 and soon moved into a huge £3 million mansion in Manchester, going on to have children together.
Giggs’ affairs and not guilty verdict
But in 2011, it came to light that Giggs had been sleeping with his younger brother Rhodri’s wife, Natasha Lever, for eight years. It was revealed that he and Natasha had conducted their affair behind his brother’s back, reportedly meeting in hotel rooms and vacant properties she had access to through her job as an estate agent.
After the bombshell news broke, several members of the ex-United man’s family cut ties with him, with his father claiming he was “ashamed” of him. Incredibly, Giggs’ marriage to Stacey survived the revelation of his affair with Natasha, but soon more came to light about the footballer’s infidelity.
In the same year, it was revealed that Giggs had embarked on a seven-month fling with glamour model and Celebrity Big Brother contestant Imogen Thomas, having met her in a nightclub. The footballer took out a £150,000 super injunction to stop details of the affair becoming public, but details of the fling came out after Lib Dem MP John Hemming used Parliamentary privilege to name him in the House of Commons.
In 2017, it was announced that Giggs and Stacey were divorcing after a decade of marriage – but the controversy didn’t stop there. Shortly after splitting from his wife, he started a relationship with PR executive Katie Greville – but it is one that would end in court with Giggs being cleared of domestic violence charges.
The footballer was alleged to have assaulted Ms Greville and her sister Emma at his home on November 1, 2020, while he was also accused of subjecting her to controlling and coercive behaviour between August 2017 and November 2020.
Giggs denied all the charges against him, and faced a trial in respect of the allegations in 2022 but the jury were unable to reach verdicts. In July 2023, at Manchester Crown Court, the prosecution formally offered no evidence in respect of the three charges Giggs faced, and he was formally found not guilty.
During the trial, Giggs admitted that his reputation as a ‘love cheat’ was justified, while the court heard a cringeworthy poem that he had written Ms Greville during their relationship. The poem read: “Darling Kate, unequivocally our love was fate. I fell in love with you at first sight. I remember coz I was as high as a kite.
“Those beautiful eyes, made me shiver. I’m not gonna lie, I think of you, I dream of you. Can’t help thinking, pulling you was my greatest ever coo [sic]. That stomach, those abs, those pictures you sent. So I can keep tabs on you, makes me feel funny down there.
“Especially when you are there and you look up and stare. I’m beginning to think you are always right. That’s okay it will keep us tight. I’m gonna end by saying you are my love, my friend, my soul. And most of all you believe in me. Which makes me feel as hard as a totem pole. Xxxxxxxx”
Giggs becomes a dad at 50 and gets new job
While the court battle went on, Giggs embarked on a new relationship with lingerie model Zara Charles and earlier this year became a a father again at the age of 50.
Having formally resigned as Wales boss in 2022, Giggs sparked speculation about a potential return to management before Christmas, having appeared in the Salford City dugout on two matchdays in quick succession. It has since been confirmed he has been appointed as director of football.
Speaking to BBC Radio Manchester before the FA Cup match, he confirmed he wanted to return to management “one day”.
“I had the stint as Wales manager and loved it,” said Giggs. “At the moment I’m enjoying being at Salford as director of football and enjoy watching the team, happy where I am, but eventually I would like to get back into management. On matchday I still get as excited as ever, probably more so than ever.”