Kevin Gallen
Encyclopedia
Kevin Andrew Gallen is an English
professional
footballer who is without a club. He most recently played for Braintree Town
and is currently working for Queens Park Rangers
academy in a youth development role similar to that previously held by his brother Joe Gallen.
A former England Under-21
striker, Gallen signed a professional contract for Queens Park Rangers
on his 17th birthday after setting phenomenal scoring records whilst in the youth team, breaking Jimmy Greaves
' long-standing record at that level.
on the opening day of the 1994–95
season, and later went on to form a partnership with Les Ferdinand
, scoring more than ten goals. Gallen's form dipped the next season after Ferdinand departed for Newcastle United
, as QPR were relegated to The First Division.
After just two games of the 1996–97
season, in which he scored three goals, Gallen sustained a serious knee injury whilst playing against Portsmouth
, which resulted in him missing the rest of the season.
His return to the team saw mixed performances, but by the 1998-99
season he was back to his best form, before injuries again held him back and the arrival of Rob Steiner and Chris Kiwomya
kept him out of the team.
The 1999-00 campaign saw Gallen fall behind Kiwomya, Steiner, Steve Slade
and Mikkel Beck
in the pecking order. He did, however, manage to score a winning goal on the last day of the season at the ground where his injury troubles had started – Portsmouth.
. His return to Loftus Road
as an opposition player saw him score, but then miss a penalty. Gallen soon found himself out in the cold once more as Huddersfield changed managers, and his contract was not renewed at the end of the season.
Gallen spent the summer of 2001 training with QPR, now in Division Two, with a view to joining on a free transfer, but a compromise on wages could not be reached. He instead joined Barnsley
on a two-year contract.
.
A change in fortunes soon followed for Gallen and QPR, with Gallen earning the club captaincy, netting another 55 goals over the ensuing five seasons and helping the club to establish itself back in the second tier of English football
. Overall, Gallen scored 97 goals for QPR, making him the sixth highest scorer in the club's history.
, joining Plymouth Argyle
on loan until the end of 2006-07
season. During his spell at Home Park
he scored once in the league, during a 3–2 victory over Coventry City. He was released by QPR in July 2007. He was offered a contract by Plymouth Argyle
, but instead opted to join a lower-level club – Milton Keynes Dons
. Gallen played 31 games and scored nine goals as MK Dons won both promotion to League One
as champions, and The Football League Trophy
.
side Luton Town
on an initial one-month loan, which was later extended by a further month. His run in the team at Luton coincided with a seven match unbeaten run for The Hatters, with Gallen often being used as a midfielder
. At the beginning of January, Gallen had his contract at MK Dons terminated by mutual consent, and he subsequently signed for Luton as a free agent. Gallen signed a one-year extension to his Luton contract at the end of the season, a campaign that ultimately ended in Luton's relegation to the Conference
, keeping him at the club until June 2010.
Now in non-league football
, Gallen found himself utilised back in his familiar position as a striker
, scoring eighteen goals in the 2009–10
season, including his first ever hat-trick
on 5 April 2010 in a 6–0 win over Grays Athletic
. His goalscoring prowess saw him sign a further one-year extension to his contract, running until the end of the 2010–11
season.
In October 2010 Gallen joined Barnet
on a three-month loan deal. He scored one goal in nine appearances during his time at the club, before returning to Luton on 8 January 2011.
On 31 January 2011, Gallen was released from his Luton contract. He made a total of 74 appearances for Luton, scoring 21 goals.
On 31 March 2011, Gallen signed for Braintree Town
Gallen currently turns out for Leverstock Green of the SSML Premier Division
Queens Park Rangers
Milton Keynes Dons
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
footballer who is without a club. He most recently played for Braintree Town
Braintree Town F.C.
Braintree Town F.C. is an English football club based in Braintree, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference National and play their home matches at Cressing Road.-History:...
and is currently working for Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
academy in a youth development role similar to that previously held by his brother Joe Gallen.
A former England Under-21
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
striker, Gallen signed a professional contract for Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
on his 17th birthday after setting phenomenal scoring records whilst in the youth team, breaking Jimmy Greaves
Jimmy Greaves
James Peter 'Jimmy' Greaves is an English former football player, England's third highest international goalscorer, the highest goalscorer in the history of Tottenham Hotspur football club, the highest goalscorer in the history of English top flight football and more recently a television pundit -...
' long-standing record at that level.
Queens Park Rangers
Gallen made his Queens Park Rangers league debut in the Premier League at Old TraffordOld Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
on the opening day of the 1994–95
1994-95 in English football
-Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw...
season, and later went on to form a partnership with Les Ferdinand
Les Ferdinand
Leslie "Les" Ferdinand MBE is a former English footballer. His playing career included spells at Queens Park Rangers, Besiktas J.K., Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Bolton Wanderers F.C., during which period he earned a number of appearances for England...
, scoring more than ten goals. Gallen's form dipped the next season after Ferdinand departed for Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, as QPR were relegated to The First Division.
After just two games of the 1996–97
1996-97 in English football
The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :...
season, in which he scored three goals, Gallen sustained a serious knee injury whilst playing against Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, which resulted in him missing the rest of the season.
His return to the team saw mixed performances, but by the 1998-99
1998-99 in English football
-Premier League:Manchester United overcame close competition from Arsenal, Aston Villa and Chelsea to win their fifth Premiership title in seven seasons thanks to the comeback of Roy Keane after his long-term injury and a transfer raid totalling nearly £30 million which netted Aston Villa striker...
season he was back to his best form, before injuries again held him back and the arrival of Rob Steiner and Chris Kiwomya
Chris Kiwomya
Christopher Mark Kiwomya is a former professional footballer of Ugandan descent, the brother of fellow player Andy Kiwomya....
kept him out of the team.
The 1999-00 campaign saw Gallen fall behind Kiwomya, Steiner, Steve Slade
Steve Slade
Steven Anthony "Steve" Slade is an English football striker.-Club career:Slade began his career in the youth teams of Tottenham Hotspur, turning professional at the club for the 1994-95 season...
and Mikkel Beck
Mikkel Beck
Mikkel Venge Beck is a Danish former football player, who played for a number of clubs, most famously for Middlesbrough FC and Fortuna Koln...
in the pecking order. He did, however, manage to score a winning goal on the last day of the season at the ground where his injury troubles had started – Portsmouth.
Huddersfield and Barnsley
In August 2000 he left QPR to find first-team football at Huddersfield TownHuddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
. His return to Loftus Road
Loftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
as an opposition player saw him score, but then miss a penalty. Gallen soon found himself out in the cold once more as Huddersfield changed managers, and his contract was not renewed at the end of the season.
Gallen spent the summer of 2001 training with QPR, now in Division Two, with a view to joining on a free transfer, but a compromise on wages could not be reached. He instead joined Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
on a two-year contract.
Return to QPR
The deal at Barnsley proved to be a short-lived, as Gallen re-joined Queens Park Rangers on 19 November 2001. Two days after returning to his boyhood club he scored one and set up two others in an emphatic 4–0 home win over SwindonSwindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
.
A change in fortunes soon followed for Gallen and QPR, with Gallen earning the club captaincy, netting another 55 goals over the ensuing five seasons and helping the club to establish itself back in the second tier of English football
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
. Overall, Gallen scored 97 goals for QPR, making him the sixth highest scorer in the club's history.
Plymouth and MK Dons
On 11 January 2007 Gallen linked up with his former QPR manager Ian HollowayIan Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
, joining Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
on loan until the end of 2006-07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season. During his spell at Home Park
Home Park
Home Park is an all-seater football stadium in the Central Park area of Plymouth, England, and is the home of Football League Two club Plymouth Argyle. The ground, given the nickname the Theatre of Greens by the club's supporters, has been Argyle's permanent residence since 1901...
he scored once in the league, during a 3–2 victory over Coventry City. He was released by QPR in July 2007. He was offered a contract by Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, but instead opted to join a lower-level club – Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
. Gallen played 31 games and scored nine goals as MK Dons won both promotion to League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
as champions, and The Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
.
Luton Town
On 14 November 2008, Gallen joined League TwoFootball League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
on an initial one-month loan, which was later extended by a further month. His run in the team at Luton coincided with a seven match unbeaten run for The Hatters, with Gallen often being used as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. At the beginning of January, Gallen had his contract at MK Dons terminated by mutual consent, and he subsequently signed for Luton as a free agent. Gallen signed a one-year extension to his Luton contract at the end of the season, a campaign that ultimately ended in Luton's relegation to the Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
, keeping him at the club until June 2010.
Now in non-league football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
, Gallen found himself utilised back in his familiar position as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
, scoring eighteen goals in the 2009–10
2009–10 in English football
The 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League...
season, including his first ever hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
on 5 April 2010 in a 6–0 win over Grays Athletic
Grays Athletic F.C.
Grays Athletic Football Club is an English football club currently based in Corringham, Essex after leaving the New Recreation Ground in Grays at the end of the 2009–10 season...
. His goalscoring prowess saw him sign a further one-year extension to his contract, running until the end of the 2010–11
2010–11 in English football
The 2010–11 season was the 131st season of competitive football in England.The season began on 6 August 2010 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier League and Football Conference both starting eight days later on 14 August 2010. The Championship, League One, and League Two ended on 7 May...
season.
In October 2010 Gallen joined Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
on a three-month loan deal. He scored one goal in nine appearances during his time at the club, before returning to Luton on 8 January 2011.
On 31 January 2011, Gallen was released from his Luton contract. He made a total of 74 appearances for Luton, scoring 21 goals.
On 31 March 2011, Gallen signed for Braintree Town
Braintree Town F.C.
Braintree Town F.C. is an English football club based in Braintree, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference National and play their home matches at Cressing Road.-History:...
Gallen currently turns out for Leverstock Green of the SSML Premier Division
Honours
England U-18England national under-18 football team
-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Slovakia.-Recent call-ups:The following players have also been called up to the England under-18 squad and remain eligible.-References:...
- UEFA Under-18 Championship winner: 1993
Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
- Football League Division Two runner-up (promotionPromotion and relegationIn many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
): 2003–04
Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
- Football League TwoFootball League TwoFootball League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
winner: 2007–08 - Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
winner: 2007–08