John Murtough emerges as Birmingham City director of football candidate

Birmingham City are evaluating former Manchester United football director John Murtough for their vacant role, with the club's board stressing the need for a long-term appointment to guide their Championship ambitions.

Birmingham City have identified John Murtough as a candidate for their director of football role as the search for Craig Gardner's successor continues. The club's board is conducting a thorough process to find a long-term leader for the football side of the business.

The position has been vacant since Gardner's departure in June. Director Andrew Shannahan addressed supporters at a recent Open House event, outlining the club's careful approach. "This is a process that is being done by the entire board," Shannahan said. "It's a big role and we want to make sure it's done right. We want to make sure it's thorough and detailed."

He emphasised the desire for a lasting appointment, not a short-term fix. "This goes back to long-term planning and long-term involvement." Shannahan added. He concluded by saying the club hopes to "be able to say something to the fans in the very near future."

Murtough's extensive background

John Murtough, 56, brings a wealth of experience from senior roles across English football. He spent 11 years at Manchester United, rising to the position of football director in 2021 and overseeing the appointment of manager Erik ten Hag the following year. Before that, he held academy and development roles at Everton, Fulham, and Coventry City, and also worked for the Premier League as head of elite performance. He currently serves as director of development at Serie A side Atalanta, a role he took up in April 2025.

The search for a director comes at a key time for the club's on-field project. Birmingham City currently sit 10th in the Championship standings with 11 points from their opening eight matches. The team's recent form, shows one win, three draws, and one defeat from the last five outings. A key metric from that period is the team's goal minutes, with Birmingham scoring 5 goals at an average of 52 minutes per game while conceding 6 at an average of 49 minutes. The immediate focus for the squad now turns to the next Championship fixture, a home match against Preston North End at St Andrew's on Saturday, September 27th. Securing stable, experienced leadership is seen as key to building on this mid-table foundation, guiding future recruitment, and pushing for the higher ambitions outlined by the board.