Lee Bowyer: Birmingham City head coach sacked by Championship club

Lee Bowyer scored nine goals in 64 appearances as a Birmingham player from 2009 to 2011

Birmingham City have sacked head coach Lee Bowyer after 16 months in charge at St Andrew’s.

Blues finished 20th in the Championship table last season, having won just four times in 26 league games after the end of November.

They would have finished lower but for relegated Derby’s 21-point deduction.

“The board of directors believe this to be the necessary course of action and have acted swiftly ahead of the 2022-23 campaign,” read a Blues statement. external-link

“A replacement head coach and support staff will be confirmed in due course.”

Goalkeeping coach Andy Marshall has also left the club.

Former Blues midfielder Bowyer left Charlton to take the helm at St Andrew’s in March 2021 on a two-and-a-half-year deal when City were three points above the relegation zone.

He eventually led Blues to an 18th-place finish in 2020-21. But, after a promising start last season, when they won three of their first six games to sit fourth in the table, they fell badly away.

Bowyer’s side, still distracted by internal issues, won just eight more times in 40 games – and picked up just two points from their last six matches, shipping 17 goals in the process.

Bowyer’s replacement will be the ninth manager City’s owners Birmingham Sports Holdings Ltd have appointed since they took control of the club as Trillion Trophy Asia in October 2016.

The Blues statement added: “The board would like to place on record their sincere thanks to Lee for all of his efforts during his time at the club.

“Lee’s commitment and dedication was never in question. He will always be welcomed back to St Andrew’s.”