NFL legend Tom Brady has ended his association with Birmingham City, the Championship club confirmed on Monday, bringing a close to three years as a minority investor in the St Andrew's side.

The club announced the departure in a statement headlined "Tom Brady departure", thanking the seven-time Super Bowl champion for his involvement and support. No reason was given for the exit, and the club did not say what would happen to Brady's stake.

"Birmingham City Football Club expresses its sincere gratitude to Tom Brady for his involvement with and unwavering support for the club over the last three years," the club said.

Brady joined Birmingham in August 2023

Brady became a minority owner in August 2023, entering into a partnership with the club's owners, Knighthead Capital Management, the investment firm headed by his friend and business partner Tom Wagner. He took a 3.3% stake and became chairman of a newly created advisory board.

His arrival was one of the most high-profile moments in the club's recent history, and it was followed by a five-part Amazon documentary, Built in Birmingham: Brady and the Blues, which followed the new owners' plans for the club.

The first season under the new ownership was turbulent. Birmingham sacked head coach John Eustace and replaced him with England and Manchester United great Wayne Rooney, who lasted only 83 days before he too was dismissed. The club were relegated at the end of that campaign, dropping into League One before winning promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt.

Blues top of the Championship

Brady leaves with Birmingham in a far stronger position on the pitch. The Blues sit top of the Championship on goal difference with 29 points from 15 matches, having moved into first place after a 2-1 win over Swansea at St Andrew's on Saturday.

The club are now well placed in the promotion race as the season pauses for the last international break of the year, with seven wins from their last nine league games.

What Brady does next

Brady, 49, retired from playing in February 2023 after 23 seasons in the NFL, winning seven Super Bowl titles with the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was named the NFL's most valuable player three times.

Since retiring, he has worked as a lead analyst for Fox Sports and holds minority stakes in the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders and the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces. His departure from Birmingham does not affect those roles.

Birmingham said they would continue to build on the foundations developed during Brady's time at the club, from the training ground to the local community, as they push for a return to the Premier League.