Birmingham City's director of football Craig Gardner has left his position at the club. Gardner, a former midfielder who had two permanent spells with the Blues, had held the role since February 2025. Prior to that, the 39-year-old had been the club's technical director for three and a half years and played a key part in finalising current owners Knighthead Capital's takeover in July 2023. Gardner also played for Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion, and first returned to Birmingham in a coaching capacity in 2019. He had a short spell in interim charge at the end of that season following the departure of Pep Clotet. As director of football, Gardner was responsible for building a unified approach and consistent club playing identity and philosophy for the men's first team. Under Gardner, the Blues sealed their record-breaking promotion from League One in 2024-25 before finishing 10th last season back in the Championship. Gardner told the club website that it had been an honour to represent Birmingham City in multiple capacities. He worked tirelessly to put the club back in a position for Premier League football and believes that is not far away. Gardner thanked the club and Knighthead for their support and is excited to see the journey continue. He now looks forward to spending time with his family and then joining the fans in the stadium. Gardner's departure comes after a successful spell at the club, and his legacy will be remembered by the fans. The club will now look to appoint a new director of football to continue the progress made under Gardner's leadership. The search for a new director is already underway, with the club looking for someone to build on the foundations laid by Gardner. The future of Birmingham City looks bright, and the fans will be eager to see who will be appointed as the new director of football.