Paul Gallacher

:"There is another Scottish footballer called Paul Gallagher, with a "g"."Football player infobox
playername = Paul Gallacher
fullname = Paul Gallacher
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1979|8|16|mf=y
cityofbirth = Glasgow
countryofbirth = Scotland
currentclub = Dunfermline
clubnumber =
position = Goalkeeper
years = 1997–2004
1999–2000
2004–2007
2004
2005
2007
2007–
clubs = Dundee United
→ Airdrieonians (loan)
Norwich City
→ Gillingham (loan)
→ Sheffield Wednesday (loan)
→ Dunfermline (loan)
Dunfermline
caps(goals) = 121 0(0)
009 0(0)
030 0(0)
003 0(0)
008 0(0)
013 0(0)
026 0(0)
nationalyears = 1999–2000
2002–2007
2002–2006
nationalteam = Scotland under-21
Scotland B
Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 007 0(0)
005 0(0)
007 0(0)
pcupdate = 09:46, 07 October 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 20:06, 23 August 2008 (UTC)

Paul Gallacher (born (16 August 1979) is a Scottish professional football goalkeeper currently playing for Scottish First Division side Dunfermline Athletic. He is the son of Jim Gallacher, a goalkeeper who played Scottish League Football for 22 years between 1968 and 1990, firstly with Arbroath and more famously with Clydebank.

Career

Dundee United

Gallacher started his career with Dundee United and spent seven years with the club. He had a short loan spell at Airdrieonians in 1999 but became first choice with Dundee United at the start of 2001, replacing Alan Combe in the team. Gallacher was highly regarded by United supporters, who claimed at the time that he was 'Scotland's Number One' goalkeeper. Gallacher was a regular for Berti Vogts' Scotland teams, winning 7 caps.

Norwich

Gallacher left Dundee United to join Norwich City in July 2004 on a free transfer. The Canaries had just been promoted to the Premiership. He looked to be second-choice goalkeeper under Robert Green, but just days before the start of the Premiership season, City signed Darren Ward and pushed Gallacher down to third choice.

He had a loan spell at Gillingham in 2004 but was recalled after an injury to Ward. Gallacher was on the bench for City a couple of times but never came on. In March 2005 he joined Paul Sturrock's Sheffield Wednesday on loan and performed well but was sent off against Bristol City in his 8th game and soon thereafter lost his place. He did not play in the play-off final win against Hartlepool United, although he was on the bench.

Gallacher played in the last few matches of the 2005-06 season for Norwich following an injury to Robert Green. There was speculation concerning Gallacher's future as his contract was due to expire in the summer of 2006, however his impressive performances at the end of that season led to him being offered a new two year deal, which he subsequently signed.

Green was still unfit at the start of the 2006-07 season, and Gallacher retained his place in the side. When Green then signed for Premiership team West Ham, his position as first-choice keeper seemed assumed, but an injury to young understudy Joe Lewis led to the signing of Lee Camp on loan from Derby County, who became number one.

New Norwich manager Peter Grant dropped Gallacher in favour of loan signing Jamie Ashdown for his first home game in charge of the team against Cardiff City on 21 October 2006, although he praised the way that Gallacher handled the disappointment by helping Ashdown prepare for the match in training. Gallacher was restored to the side for the League Cup match against Port Vale on 24 October 2006 due to Ashdown being cup-tied. The match went to penalties after a 0-0 draw and although Gallacher saved Vale's first two penalties, Norwich went on to lose the shoot-out. Ashdown returned to goal to face Stoke in the following game but was sent off during the game which Norwich lost 5-0. Gallacher was then restored to the number one slot in Ashdown's absence and went on to keep two clean sheets in three starts since the Stoke game.

In the January transfer window Peter Grant replaced Gallacher with on-loan Celtic goalkeeper David Marshall. But an injury to Marshall in Norwich's FA Cup game against Chelsea meant that Gallacher returned to the first team. Some disappointing displays from him, against Preston and Luton have left many fans calling for another replacement goalkeeper. Some fans have even started to dubb him "Calamity Gallacher" after some disastrous performances, resulting in conceding soft goals. He was again replaced, the match after his "gaff" at Luton, by on-loan Tony Warner.

Dunfermline Athletic

On the 20th of August 2007, Gallacher moved back North on loan to Scottish First Division side Dunfermline Athletic to help with their goalkeeping crisis. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dunfermline_athletic/6955044.stm|title=Gallacher heads to Pars as cover|accessdate=January 2|accessyear=2008] He has since helped them earn valuable points with stunning penalty saves against Dundee and Queen of the South. He is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers outside the SPL.

On the 31st of December 2007, Paul Gallacher's contract with Norwich City was terminated by mutual consent with immediate effect. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dunfermline_athletic/7166337.stm|title=Gallacher ends spell with Norwich|accessdate=January 2|accessyear=2008] One day later, it was officially announced that Gallacher had joined Dunfermline Athletic until the end of the season. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dunfermline_athletic/7168260.stm|title=Dunfermline sign keeper Gallacher|accessdate=January 2|accessyear=2008] After being arguably the best keeper in the division for most of the season, Gallacher signed a new contract with the Pars until 2011. [cite web|url=http://www.dafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/FNewsDetail/0,,10288~1279511,00.html|title=Gallacher signs new contract|accessdate=April 1|accessyear=2008] [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dunfermline_athletic/7326034.stm|title=Dunfermline extend Gallacher deal|accessdate=April 3|accessyear=2008]

ee also

*Dunfermline Athletic F.C. season 2007-08 | 2008-09

References

External links

*
* [http://www.dafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10288~6885,00.html Profile at dafc.co.uk]