Gardner exits as Birmingham City Director of Football
Written by
Simon Austin
June 5, 2026
Craig Gardner has left his role as Director of Football at Birmingham City, the club has confirmed.
The 38-year-old informed the club several weeks ago of his desire to take time away from football at the conclusion of the season, with Birmingham saying the timing has allowed them to plan for the squad’s return and the new campaign ahead. A process to appoint his successor is already underway.
CEO Jeremy Dale said: “On behalf of everyone at Birmingham City, I would like to thank Craig for his outstanding contribution to this Football Club. When Craig first spoke to me about his desire to take time away from football at the end of the season, it was clear this was not a decision he had taken lightly.
“He has given an enormous amount to Birmingham City throughout his career and has played a significant role in the progress we have made over recent years.”
Gardner added: “It’s been an honour for me to represent Birmingham City in multiple capacities. I’ve worked tirelessly to put the club back in a position for Premier League football and I believe that is not far away. I now look forward to some time with my family and then to joining you as a fan in the stadium.”
Gardner’s connection to Birmingham spans two decades — as a player across two spells, as player-coach, as Assistant Manager, and ultimately as the man who oversaw the club’s football department through one of the most turbulent and transformative periods in its recent history.
Unconventional path to the role
When Gardner was appointed Technical Director in June 2021, it was significant and perhaps eyebrow-raising news — here was a man who had retired from playing only 12 months earlier, spent a brief spell on Tony Pulis’s staff at Sheffield Wednesday, and returned to St Andrews as Lee Bowyer’s Assistant in January 2021.
He had been back in a coaching capacity for less than six months when he was handed responsibility for overseeing recruitment, squad development and football strategy.
The club were explicit about what they wanted from him: to act as an intermediary between the Boardroom and the changing room, overhauling the recruitment department and building a philosophy that would deliver “stability and consistency in what is a volatile industry.”
For a man with no prior experience in a Technical Director or Director of Football role, it was a considerable ask.
Gardner himself acknowledged the scale of the challenge. “We’ve got to look at it all and rebuild,” he said at the time. “Everything from the recruitment department, to the Academy pathway, into first team performance.”
He was promoted to Director of Football in February 2025, formalising an expanded remit that had grown steadily across his time in the role.
The Knighthead era
Gardner’s tenure was defined, in large part, by the transformation that followed Knighthead Capital Management’s arrival at the club. The American investment firm, led by co-founder Tom Wagner, acquired a 45% stake in Birmingham City in July 2023 — completing their full takeover in November 2025 when they purchased the remaining 51% from ZO Future Group to hold 96.64% of the club.
Gardner played a role in facilitating that acquisition and was subsequently instrumental in the rebuild that followed. Birmingham were relegated to League One at the end of 2022/23, but the response under the new ownership was emphatic: a record-breaking League One title win under Chris Davies, a summer of heavy investment — including Jay Stansfield for over £15m — and a return to the Championship.
They also returned to Category One Academy status in May 2025, having been downgraded three years earlier.
The stated ambition, made publicly by Wagner, is Premier League football.
Dale also noted that Gardner had “remained in post to help prepare the Club for the summer and the season ahead” after informing them of his decision.
Gardner’s farewell also carried the pride of a man who never stopped being a supporter of the Blues.
“I’ve fulfilled my dream as a player to play in the Premier League for the club, to score the winning goal in the Carling Cup semi-final and then to go on and lift the trophy at Wembley,” he said.
“I then went into a coaching role and ultimately as Director of Football leading through periods of significant change. These are all moments I am immensely proud of.”
The search for Gardner’s successor is underway, with the club’s ambitions firmly set on a return to the top flight.
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