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Tuesday, August 22, 2006

For Kevin Gallen, a Decade since THE Injury at Portsmouth

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For Kevin Gallen, who hopefully plays tonight against Northampton...It's exactly a DECADE (minus a day)since Gallen got that terrible injury playing at Portsmouth. August 23rd 1996. Definitely a black day for Gallen and QPR

After scoring on opening day at home to Oxford, Gallen scored twice in QPR's first away game at Portsmouth. Unfortunately in scoring that second goal, he got injured with a cruciate knee injury; missed the rest of the season. And to a great extent was never quite the same again.

For Gallen, approaching 31 (born September 25, 1975), it's 12 years since he made his debut at Manchester United as an 18 year old youth/reserve goal-scoring machine, alongside Les Ferdinand. Capped at England U-21 Level (chosing England over Ireland), Gallen was widely tipped for big-time success, with QPR rejecting big offers for him.

Gallen was eventually given a free transfer by Gerry Francis in the summer of 2000. He joined Huddersfield and then Barnsley. And rejoined QPR on a free in November 2001. In his two stints at QPR, has played more than 300 games and scored almost 90 league goals. (He's one short of a century of a league goals, including his Barnsley and Huddersfield period)

Playing Record

BBC "Gallen Back at QPR"

Even see Gallen Website