Former Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett has admitted that he is 'disappointed' by his exit from St Andrews.

The 42-year-old was sacked from his role on Wednesday with the Blues sitting seventh in the Championship, a move which surprised many observers.

"I am extremely disappointed that my time as manager of Birmingham City has come to an end, especially as I felt we were only halfway through the project and I strongly believed we were on course to achieve our objectives," Rowett told Sky Sports News.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank the players, fans and everyone at the club for their support and hard work during my time at Birmingham City. I wish them well for the future and look forward to my next challenge in the game."

Birmingham replaced Rowett with former Chelsea forward Gianfranco Zola, who lost his first match in charge at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.