Birmingham City appoint John Murtough as director of football

Birmingham City have appointed John Murtough as director of football, bringing the former Manchester United executive into a role overseeing the club's football operations. BBC Sport reported that the 55-year-old will start on Monday, after Birmingham's Championship match at Cardiff City this weekend. He succeeds Craig Gardner, who left the club in June.

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Head coach Chris Davies will report to Murtough under the structure outlined in Birmingham's announcement. The new director's responsibilities include recruitment, data and performance, alongside the route for academy players into the senior team. His remit therefore extends beyond transfers to several areas supporting the first-team coaching staff and the development of younger players.

Murtough will also work with Hope Powell on the women's team, with the club seeking to connect its continued development to the wider football strategy. Birmingham's women were runners-up in the Women's Super League in 2011 and 2012. According to the BBC report, they currently occupy 13th place in the table, one position above the bottom.

The appointment comes with the men's team fourth in the Championship following three consecutive victories since the international break. Davies remains head coach as Murtough prepares to take up the new post. Birmingham are three points behind leaders Swansea City, giving the incoming director a team already positioned near the top of the division as he begins work.

Murtough's most recent position was director of global development at Italian club Atalanta. Before that, he spent 11 years at Manchester United, joining in 2013 and leaving in April 2024 after serving as football director. His career also includes work at Everton, Fulham and Coventry City, as well as a spell with the Premier League overseeing elite performance.

In comments carried by BBC Sport, Murtough pointed to Birmingham's supporters and potential, and described owner Knighthead's determination to develop the club over the long term. Knighthead Capital Management reiterated its ambition to take Birmingham to the highest level of English football and establish lasting success. The owners presented the appointment within that broader effort to develop both the football operation and the club away from the pitch.