 Rowett withBirmingham City in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gary Rowett[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1974-03-06)6 March 1974 (age 51)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Bromsgrove,Worcestershire, England[1] | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Oxford United (head coach) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1991–1994 | Cambridge United | 63 | (9) |
| 1994–1995 | Everton | 4 | (0) |
| 1995 | →Blackpool (loan) | 17 | (0) |
| 1995–1998 | Derby County | 105 | (2) |
| 1998–2000 | Birmingham City | 87 | (6) |
| 2000–2002 | Leicester City | 49 | (2) |
| 2002–2004 | Charlton Athletic | 13 | (1) |
| 2005–2007 | Burton Albion | 43 | (1) |
| Total | 381 | (21) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2012–2014 | Burton Albion | ||
| 2014–2016 | Birmingham City | ||
| 2017–2018 | Derby County | ||
| 2018–2019 | Stoke City | ||
| 2019–2023 | Millwall | ||
| 2024 | Birmingham City (interim) | ||
| 2024– | Oxford United | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Gary Rowett (born 6 March 1974) is an English professionalfootball manager and former player who is head coach ofEFL Championship clubOxford United.
As a player, he was adefender, and played in thePremier League forEverton,Derby County,Leicester City andCharlton Athletic. He also played in theFootball League forCambridge United,Blackpool,Birmingham City andBurton Albion. His professional career ended in 2004, through a knee injury.
In May 2009, he was appointed assistant manager toPaul Peschisolido at Burton, and took over as manager in 2012. He was appointed the manager of Birmingham City in October 2014 and served until December 2016. He became Derby County manager in March 2017, and joinedStoke City in May 2018. After failing to mount a promotion challenge, he was sacked in January 2019 and was appointed manager ofMillwall that October, before leaving by mutual consent four years later. He rejoined Birmingham City in March 2024 as interim manager until the end of the season. In December 2024, he joined Oxford United.
He started his career atCambridge United as a product of theiryouth system. He was part of the Cambridge team which achieved fifth place in the1991–92 Second Division, which remains the club's best league finish to date. They were also play-off semi-finalists that year. He was also part of their best everLeague Cup run when they reached the quarter-finals the following season. After three seasons at theAbbey Stadium he earned a move to thePremiership withEverton in March 1994 for £200,000. Everton won theFA Cup in his first full season, but Rowett was not involved in the 1995 FA Cup run or the final againstManchester United. After failing to break into thefirst team, Rowett went on loan toBlackpool before being sold toDerby County in part-exchange forCraig Short.[3] Rowett spent three seasons at Derby, followed by a two-year spell withBirmingham City, where he helped the club reach the play-offs.
In June 2000, Rowett returned to the Premier League by joiningLeicester City.Southampton had been interested in him and bid £2 million, but could not better Leicester's £3 million due to the costs of their new stadium.[4] He competed in theUEFA Cup, where they lost in the first round on penalties toRed Star Belgrade.[5] His first top-flight goal for the club on 3 February 2001 won the game 2–1 againstChelsea atFilbert Street, within seconds of the opposition's goal byJimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.[6]
In May 2002, he switched toCharlton Athletic for £3.5 million.[7] Charlton managerAlan Curbishley had wanted to sign Rowett for years, but he chose Leicester as they were closer to his home and competing in the UEFA Cup.[8] His only goal for them earned a 1–1 home draw againstSunderland on 3 November 2002.[9] He retired from professional football in July 2004 due to a knee injury, weeks after his defensive partnerRichard Rufus, having made only 13 league appearances in two years atThe Valley.[10] He did return to play forBurton Albion in theConference National, having been persuaded by managerNigel Clough in 2005.[11]
In May 2009, Rowett was named as assistant to newly appointed managerPaul Peschisolido atBurton Albion.[12] Rowett was put in temporary charge of Burton, assisted byKevin Poole, following Peschisolido's sacking in March 2012.[11] On 10 May, Rowett was announced as the permanent manager of Burton Albion.[13] In his first season, he led Burton to fourth place inLeague Two, losing in the play-off semi-final toBradford City,[14] and followed up with a sixth-place finish in 2013–14 and a 1–0 defeat toFleetwood in theplay-off final.[15]
Whilst in charge of Burton, Rowett oversaw their best everLeague Cup performance, as they reached the third round in2012–13 before being eliminated byBradford City. They equaled this achievement two years later under his successorJimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. Unfortunately, he was also in charge for their two worst defeats in the Football League, both 7–1. The first was againstBristol Rovers in April 2012, while he was still temporary manager, and the second againstPort Vale in April 2013.
In September 2014, with Burton near the top of League Two, Rowett rejected the opportunity to manageChampionship strugglersBlackpool; he said he felt it was not the right job for him at the present time.[16]
On 27 October 2014, Rowett was appointed the manager of his former club,Birmingham City – one place above Blackpool at the bottom of the Championship table. He was joined at Birmingham by Burton backroom staff membersKevin Summerfield as assistant manager,Mark Sale as first-team coach and Poole as goalkeeping coach. All three are also former Birmingham City players.[17] Rowett guided Birmingham from 21st in the Championship to 10th at the end of his first season, earning many plaudits for the remarkable turnaround in form.
Rowett was sacked by Birmingham on 14 December 2016 upon their change of ownership and boardroom team, despite leading the team to 7th in the Championship table and challenging for a play-off place.[18][19] The decision was met with surprise and criticism by Birmingham supporters, with the club appointingGianfranco Zola as his replacement.[20][21] Zola resigned as Birmingham manager in April 2017, after a sequence of only two wins in 24 games throughout his tenure as manager left the club embroiled in a relegation battle.[22]
Rowett was appointed as the new manager ofChampionship clubDerby County, another of his former clubs as a player, on 14 March 2017, and signed a contract until the end of the 2018–19 season.[23] Rowett took over with Derby sat in tenth place, taking fifteen points from their final nine games to guide them to a ninth-placed finish.
Rowett signed five players ahead of the2017–18 season largely focusing on adding experience to a Derby side which had gained a reputation for post-Christmas slumps in form[24] Players such asTom Huddlestone (30) andCurtis Davies (32) raised the squad's average age to 28.2 years old, the second-highest in the division.[25] After a slow start of just 3 wins from the opening 10 games left them 15th in the table, 13 wins from the following 20 matches saw the team climb to 2nd place at the turn of the year, with Rowett winningChampionship Manager of the Month for October and December 2017.[26][27] On 9 January 2018, Rowett was linked with the managerial vacancy atPremier League clubStoke City, but instead signed an improved contract, lasting until 2021.[28]
Despite Rowett adding further experience to the squad with the signing of 31-year oldCameron Jerome in the January transfer window, Derby again suffered a post-January slump, winning just 2 out of 13 league matches, a run that included heavy defeats to relegation candidatesSunderland and Burton Albion[29] to briefly fall out of the top 6, before a brief resurgence in their final three games saw them qualify for the playoffs on the final day of the season with a 6th-placed finish and 75 points.[30] The play-off campaign ended in defeat, Derby losing 2–1 on aggregate toFulham, despite winning the first leg.[31][32] Soon after the end of the season, Rowett requested permission to talk to Stoke City about their vacant managerial position.[33]
Rowett was appointedStoke City manager on 22 May 2018, signing a three-year contract, with Stoke paying Derby around £2m in compensation.[34] Stoke, having been relegated from thePremier League theprevious season gave Rowett a large transfer budget. The players he brought in were goalkeeperAdam Federici, experienced centre backAshley Williams, full-backCuco Martina, midfieldersSam Clucas,Peter Etebo andRyan Woods, wingersTom Ince andJames McClean and forwardBenik Afobe.[35] The team made a poor start to the campaign winning only two of their opening ten matches.[36] Stoke won back-to-back games at the beginning of October againstBolton Wanderers andNorwich City before losing to Rowett's old club Birmingham.[37][38][39] City then went ten games unbeaten through November and December but made little progress up the table as Stoke drew six of them, conceding late equalisers on three occasions.[40][41][42] Stoke's run was ended by another defeat to Birmingham onBoxing Day.[43] After poor results againstBolton Wanderers andBristol City supporters began to call for Rowett's departure.[44][45][46] Rowett's contract with Stoke was terminated by the club on 8 January 2019.[47][48]
On 21 October 2019, Rowett was appointed as the newMillwall manager, succeedingNeil Harris, who left after more than four years in the post.[49] On his debut five days later, the team won 2–0 at home to his previous club Stoke.[50] After finishing 8th, 11th and 9th in his first three seasons, he signed a new contract of undisclosed length in July 2022.[51] In October 2023, Rowett left Millwall by mutual consent.[52]
On 19 March 2024, Rowett returned to Birmingham City as interim manager until the end of the 2023–24 season, after incumbent managerTony Mowbray took medical leave for the remainder of the season.[53] Rowett oversaw the club's remaining eight league matches, winning three times, which was ultimately not enough to prevent relegation to League One on the final day of the season.[54]
On 20 December 2024, Rowett was appointed head coach of Championship clubOxford United, replacingDes Buckingham,[55] and won his first three games in charge.[56] Six unbeaten matches, leading to a points return of twelve points, saw Rowett namedEFL Championship Manager of the Month for January 2025.[57]
Rowett reviewed Birmingham City matches with Tom Ross on radio stationBRMB, and for the 2008–09 season,summarised matches involving Derby County forBBC Radio Derby.[58]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cambridge United | 1991–92 | Second Division | 13 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 1 | 18 | 3 |
| 1992–93 | First Division | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1[b] | 0 | 28 | 3 | |
| 1993–94 | Second Division | 29 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[c] | 2 | 36 | 7 | |
| Total | 63 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 82 | 13 | ||
| Everton | 1993–94 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1994–95 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Blackpool (loan) | 1994–95 | Second Division | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Derby County | 1995–96 | First Division | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 0 |
| 1996–97 | Premier League | 35 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 1 | |
| 1997–98 | Premier League | 35 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 3 | |
| Total | 105 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 120 | 4 | ||
| Birmingham City | 1998–99 | First Division | 42 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2[d] | 0 | 49 | 7 |
| 1999–2000 | First Division | 45 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2[d] | 1 | 54 | 4 | |
| Total | 87 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 103 | 11 | ||
| Leicester City | 2000–01 | Premier League | 38 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2[e] | 0 | 45 | 3 |
| 2001–02 | Premier League | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Total | 49 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 57 | 3 | ||
| Charlton Athletic | 2002–03 | Premier League | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| 2003–04 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | ||
| Burton Albion | 2005–06 | Conference Premier | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| 2006–07 | Conference Premier | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | |
| Total | 43 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 381 | 21 | 23 | 2 | 26 | 6 | 11 | 4 | 441 | 33 | ||
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Burton Albion | 17 March 2012 | 27 October 2014 | 142 | 63 | 34 | 45 | 044.37 | [60] |
| Birmingham City | 27 October 2014 | 14 December 2016 | 106 | 42 | 32 | 32 | 039.62 | [60] |
| Derby County | 14 March 2017 | 22 May 2018 | 60 | 26 | 18 | 16 | 043.33 | [60] |
| Stoke City | 22 May 2018 | 8 January 2019 | 29 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 031.03 | [60] |
| Millwall | 26 October 2019[a] | 18 October 2023 | 196 | 76 | 57 | 63 | 038.78 | [60] |
| Birmingham City (interim) | 25 March 2024 | 4 May 2024 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 037.50 | [60] |
| Oxford United | 26 December 2024[b] | present | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 033.33 | [60] |
| Total | 558 | 224 | 161 | 173 | 040.14 | |||
Individual
Individual
