American football legend Tom Brady has become a minority owner of Birmingham City FC. The retired NFL superstar has taken a share of the Championship club following its recent takeover by US businessman Tom Wagner.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion has partnered with the club's holding company Knighthead Capital Management and becomes chairman of a new advisory board.
The club said Mr Brady, who ended his NFL career earlier this year, would apply his extensive leadership experience and expertise across several components of the club.
This will include working alongside the sports science department to advise on health, nutrition, wellness and recovery systems and programs.
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He said: "Birmingham is an iconic club with so much history and passion and to be part of the Blues is a real honour for me.
"Birmingham City is built on teamwork and determination and I'm excited to work alongside the board, management and players to make our second-city club second to none.
"I've been part of some amazing teams in my day and I'm looking forward to applying my perspective to create that same success here in Birmingham."
Mr Brady has previously partnered up with Knighthead Capital on several other ventures and new Blues chairman Tom Wagner said he was looking forward to Brady's "direct impact".
"Tom Brady joining the Birmingham team is a statement of intent. We are setting the bar at world class," he said.
"Tom is both investing and committing his time and extensive expertise. As chair of the advisory board, Tom will have a direct impact on the club. The men's, women's and academy teams are going to benefit from the knowledge.
"The goal that Tom has committed to own is to make Birmingham a respected leader in nutrition, health, wellness and recovery across the world of football.
"A commitment to Blues fans was made in May (when takeover was announced) to add experts from the world of sport and football to the team, putting in place the building blocks for future success.
"With Garry Cook as chief executive, Hope Powell as women's technical director and now Tom Brady we are off to a fast start. Success does not come overnight, it takes time, but when you have great leaders in place everything becomes possible."
Commenting on the deal, Peter Evans, senior teaching fellow in sports business management at Birmingham City University, said: "Tom Brady is a hard-nosed businessman and a winner.
"While he'll play his part in reinvigorating a tarnished image and opening doors to new commercial opportunities, he'll demand a winning culture.
"Over recent years, despite some brief stints in the Premier League and the shock League Cup triumph over Arsenal in 2011, the club has failed to ever reach its full potential.
"The stadium has crumbled, gates have slumped and hope, until recent investment, had seemingly faded. Yet a new messiah has emerged on the Bluenose side of Birmingham.
"With Villa surging and bound for Europe, the Blues appear mired in the eternal shadow of their rivals but Tom Brady doesn't play in the shadows."
