Former Chesterfield manager James Rowe has been found not guilty of sexual assault in a trial lasting seven days at Derby Crown Court.
Rowe, 41, was charged with one count of sexual assault in September 2022 and pleaded not guilty.
He was suspended by Chesterfield on January 24, 2022 pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct and left the club by mutual consent on 4 February.
Rowe was appointed Chesterfield manager in November 2020 after leaving National League North side Gloucester City. He took Chesterfield to sixth place in the National League in his first season before losing to Notts County in the play-offs.
He won 101 points from 50 matches in his first year as manager and also guided Chesterfield to the third round of the FA Cup where they played Chelsea. They lost 5-1 to the Premier League side at Stamford Bridge in January 2022.
Rowe was later appointed manager of AFC Fylde from March to September 2022. Rowe resigned from the National League North side after being charged with one count of sexual assault over an alleged incident from November 2021.
Rowe’s original trial date of December 2023 was delayed until October 2024.
(Lewis Storey/Getty Images)
