Since then there has been continual pressure from fans to recruit Gallagher again, which is exactly what happened in January after he had spent the first half of the season on loan at struggling Preston. However, since then things have not worked out as planned and only 2 starts and 5 sub appearances have followed, the latest being an uninspiring performance against Blackpool.
The subsequent arrivals of Shola Ameobi and Jay Bothroyd (who looks a better aquisition than Gallagher) have pushed him down the pecking order and off the bench. The parting of ways seemed to be made increasingly inevitable yesterday when Tony Pulis explained that he had not been doing as well as others at the club, which is hardly a vote of confidence.