Kevin Gallen

Kevin Gallen (born September 21, 1975 in Chiswick) is an England professional footballer who plays for Milton Keynes Dons F.C..

Gallen is a former England national under-21 football team striker who signed professional for Queens Park Rangers F.C. on his 17th birthday after setting phenomenal scoring records for the Youth Team. Kevin scored 153 goals in 110 appearances, breaking Jimmy Greaves' long-standing record at that level.

He made his League debut at Old Trafford on the opening day of the 1994-95 in English football season and later went on to form a partnership with Les Ferdinand scoring more than ten goals that season. Gallen's form dipped after Ferdinand departed and he scored very few goals.

After some good early season form, Gallen sustained a serious knee injury whilst scoring the winning goal against Portsmouth F.C. in 1996 which resulted in him missing the rest of the 1996-97 in English football season.

His return to the team saw many mixed performances but by the 1998-99 in English football 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 in English football saw Gallen behind Kiwomya, Steiner, Slade and 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. In summer 2000 he left to find first team football at Huddersfield Town F.C.. Gallen soon found himself out in the cold again as Huddersfield changed managers and his return to Loftus Road saw him score but then miss a penalty.

He spent the summer of 2001 training with QPR with a view to joining on a free transfer but wages were a problem and he ended up joining Barnsley F.C.. That too proved to be a short term deal and Gallen rejoined QPR on November 19 2001. Two days after returning to his boyhood club he scored one and set up another in an empahatic 4-0 home win over Swindon Town F.C..

A change in fortunes soon followed for Gallen and QPR, with Gallen earning the club captaincy, netting another 55 goals over the ensuing 5 seasons and helping the club to establish itself back in the second tier of English football. Gallen scored 97 goals for QPR, making him the sixth highest scorer in the club's history.

On January 11,2007 Gallen linked up again with Ian Holloway, joining Plymouth Argyle F.C. on loan until the end of 2006-07 in English football season He was released by QPR at the end of the season. He was offered a contract by Plymouth Argyle F.C., but instead opted to join a lower-level club - Milton Keynes Dons F.C. - as he would be more likely to get first-team football. Gallen played 24 games and scored 8 goals, as Milton Keynes Dons F.C. won promotion to Football League One Gallen has become extremely popular at MK Dons and has the chant "Kevin Gallen's magic, he wears a magic hat, and when he saw the mk, he said I'm having that!"

His two brothers Joe Gallen and Stephen both played for the Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team. Joe gaining 7 caps and Stephen 4 caps. Joe played for Shamrock Rovers in the 1992-93 season. Stephen played for Queens Park Rangers FC and Doncaster Rovers FC between 1990-1996. played on loan at Levante.

Honours

- UEFA Under-18 Championship: 1993
- Football League Trophy: 2008
- Football League One: Runner up; 2004
- Football League Two: 2008