Gemini is delighted to announce the appointment of Matt Oakley, decorated football professional and proven leader, as Head of Football.
Oakley brings with him over two decades of elite level experience, having made nearly 700 competitive appearances across a professional career that spanned Southampton, Derby County, Leicester City and Exeter City. A central midfielder of rare quality and consistency playing until he was forty years old, he spent twelve formative years at Southampton, making 311 appearances and representing the club in the 2003 FA Cup Final against the Arsenal Invincibles.
His natural authority saw him named captain at every club he represented, most notably leading Derby County to Championship Play-Off glory in 2007 and leading Leicester City to the League One title in 2008/09. Oakley also represented England at Under-21 level and following retirement from playing, transitioned into coaching reaching two play-off finals as Assistant Manager at Exeter City and achieving promotion with Milton Keynes Dons.
In recent years, Matt has transitioned into a strategic advisory role, supporting clubs ownership groups with football operations, recruitment, performance structures, and long-term planning. As part of this work, he collaborated closely with former teammate Darren Moore to secure two promotions in three seasons.
Matt’s experience, football knowledge, and analytical approach have contributed strongly to team development, decision-making, and overall club progression. His extensive experience within the game has provided him with a deep understanding of how successful football environments are built, both on and off the pitch.
In his new role, Oakley will work closely with Gemini Sports customers and contribute directly to the development of Gemini’s product, bringing firsthand knowledge of what club owners and executives truly need. Having experienced football at every level of the professional game, his insight into how football projects plan, develop, and perform will help ensure Gemini’s solutions are both credible and practical for the clubs and individuals using them.
“It is absolutely essential for a business like ours to have someone who can walk into any room, point at the executive chalkboard with transfer plans on it, and say, “I’ve done this before”. Matt’s remarkable dynamism, extensive track record of resilience and leadership, natural relationship-building ability, and creative problem-solving skills will prove to be an immense asset to our customers and the company itself. I’m absolutely delighted to have Matt aboard”, remarked Founder & CEO Jake Schuster.
“The decision to join Gemini was straightforward. Throughout my career I witnessed firsthand the inefficiencies that exist within football clubs at every level, and I recognised immediately that Gemini’s technology addresses a real and significant problem that the game has long needed solving.
Having spent more than 20 years in professional football, I’ve experienced every aspect of a football club environment and understand first-hand how each department operates. That experience has given me a unique perspective on where communication, workflows, and decision-making processes can become inefficient, disconnected, and misaligned.
Too often within football clubs, valuable information sits in separate departments, creating unnecessary stress, frustration, and missed opportunities especially involving recruitment decisions. What makes Gemini Sports different is its ability to provide a clear, aligned solution that connects those information streams and improves collaboration across the entire football operation.
I’m excited to be joining Gemini Sports as Head of Football and helping drive a modern approach that supports better communication, smarter workflows, and ultimately stronger performance both on and off the pitch.” commented Matt Oakley, Head of Football at Gemini Sports
