Gary Rowett (born 6 March 1974) is an English professional football manager and former player who is head coach of EFL Championship club Oxford United.

After failing to mount a promotion challenge, he was sacked in January 2019 and was appointed manager of Millwall that October, before leaving by mutual consent four years later.

[7] Charlton manager Alan 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.

[9] He retired from professional football in July 2004 due to a knee injury, weeks after his defensive partner Richard Rufus, having made only 13 league appearances in two years at The Valley.

[15] Whilst in charge of Burton, Rowett oversaw their best ever League Cup performance, as they reached the third round in 2012–13 before being eliminated by Bradford City.

In September 2014, with Burton near the top of League Two, Rowett rejected the opportunity to manage Championship strugglers Blackpool; 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.

[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.

[26][27] On 9 January 2018, Rowett was linked with the managerial vacancy at Premier League club Stoke 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 old Cameron 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 candidates Sunderland 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.

The players he brought in were goalkeeper Adam Federici, experienced centre back Ashley Williams, full-back Cuco Martina, midfielders Sam Clucas, Peter Etebo and Ryan Woods, wingers Tom Ince and James McClean and forward Benik Afobe.

[36] Stoke won back-to-back games at the beginning of October against Bolton Wanderers and Norwich 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.

[54] On 20 December 2024, Rowett was appointed head coach of Championship club Oxford United, replacing Des Buckingham,[55] and won his first three games in charge.