Galloway, Mike

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Fullname: Michael Galloway
aka: Mike Galloway, Mikey Galloway
Born: 30 May 1965
Birthplace: Oswestry, Shropshire, England
Signed: 16 June 1989
Left: 31 May 1996
Position: Midfield/Defender
First game: Hearts away 3-1 League 12 August 1989
Last game: Hearts away 0-1 League 15 October 1994
First goal: Dunfermline Athletic home 1-0 League 19 August 1989
Last goal: Dundee United away 3-2 League 27 March 1993
Internationals: Scotland
International Caps: 1 Cap
International Goals: 0 Goals

BiogGalloway, Mike - Pic

Midfielder Mike Galloway, a lifelong Celtic fan, was tempted to Parkhead in June 1989 from Hearts for a fee of £500,000.

A hard-tackling and aggressive ball winner the red-haired Galloway was actually a former Rangers trainee who had started his senior career with Berwick and after spells at Mansfield Town and Halifax – where he played at centre-half – he moved to Tynecastle in the autumn of 1987 for £60,000.

A bargain buy in the eyes of many, Mike Galloway’s versatility was key. He was used in defence, midfield and attack, plus coupled with his combative performances, these were a key reason why the Edinburgh side were able to push Celtic all the way during the Centenary 1987/88 season. Mike Galloway gained a reputation for scoring important and often spectacular goals against Celtic and Rangers and also on the European stage.

So after Celtic’s capitulation the following season Bhoys boss Billy McNeill turned to Galloway to add steel to his side and Mike Galloway would make his competitive debut in a 3-1 win at old club Hearts on August 12th. His initial performances were promising and he scored a spectacular winner against Dunfermline later that month. Surprisingly, Billy McNeill chose to play Mike Galloway in a wide midfield role and it was clear that he was uncomfortable there and preferred a central role.

By 1991, he was available for transfer but the arrival of Liam Brady changed that and Mike Galloway became a firm favourite at centre back or central midfield. He scored a spectacular goal in Belgium against Ekeren in the UEFA cup and followed that up with an even better long range effort in the 4-1 thrashing of Dundee United on October 19th 1991. His form was so impressive at this stage that he was capped by Scotland in Sofia against Bulgaria in November 1991.

Mike Galloway suffered for his versatility and was played in every defensive position, in midfield and even in attack. On January 2nd 1990 he was a surprise pick at centre forward against Rangers at Parkhead and it did not come off as Celts went down 1-0. He was prone to defensive errors, none more so than in the League Cup semi final of September 1993 when he lost possession to Ian Durrant on the bye line which led to an easy Rangers goal.

However, his aggressive whole hearted attitude was appreciated by the fans and in October 1992 he fired home a 35 yard winner at Dens Park against Dundee. On his game Mike Galloway was a solid midfield enforcer but at other times his slackness could be costly and as managers came and went at Parkhead a lack of discipline off the field saw Galloway lambasted by boss Lou Macari over missed training sessions, which was a touch ironic taking in Macari’s absence record whilst manager at Celtic.

When Tommy Burns took over in 1994, Mike Galloway played well in the 2-0 win at Ibrox in August against Rangers but he soon lost his place and in March he was loaned to Leicester City. Sadly serious injuries sustained in a car crash would end his football career prematurely. He was awarded a Benefit game in 1996 by Celtic when a Celtic team played a team of former Celtic players, including the legendary Kenny Dalglish, and a 24,000 crowd provided a considerable fund to assist him.

When reflecting on Mike Galloway’s Celtic career it must be remembered that these were very difficult days. The club was going through turmoil both on & off the pitch due to the efforts to oust the incumbents on the old board, leading to the Celtic Takeover, and Mike Galloway’s whole time stemmed much of this period and for shortly afterwards for a couple of seasons once the takeover was complete, which were difficult days as well. Add in a myriad of managers with varying abilities & personalities, it was no easy time for any aspiring player.

Sadly he didn’t get to win any major silverware and never played in the Scottish Cup run that finally won Celtic a title, the first since May 1989, just a few months before Mike Galloway had arrived at Celtic. For such a whole-hearted player, he deserved something from that time.

Post-Playing Career
The premature end of his career was a bitter blow for the player and in later years Mike Galloway faced many personal problems including a battle with alcoholism. The Celtic support hoped for this whole-hearted player to return to full health, and wished him all the best.

He kept in football with stints as manager in junior football with sides like Coldstream FC, Berwich Utd and Eyemouth Utd.

Quotes

“I think Celtic’s always supported me, even when I went through my bad times.”
Mike Galloway (2023)

Playing Career

Club From To Fee League Scottish/FA Cup League cup Other
Leicester 03/02/1995 04/05/2003 Loan 4 (1) 0 1 (0) 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) 0
Celtic 16/06/1989 31/05/1996 £ 500,000 103 (22) 8 7 (4) 0 13 (2) 0 9 (2) 0
Hearts 18/11/1987 16/06/1989 £ 60,000 52 (4) 8 6 (0) 1 3 (0) 0 8 (0) 5
Halifax 21/02/1986 18/11/1987 Signed 79 (0) 5 3 (0) 0 4 (0) 0 4 (0) 0
Mansfield 08/09/1983 21/02/1986 Signed 39 (15) 3 1 (0) 0 1 (1) 0 1 (0) 0
Totals £560,000 277 (42) 24 18 (4) 1 21 (3) 0 22 (2) 5
goals / game 0.07 0.04 0 0.2
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals

Honours with Celtic

none

Pictures

Links

“My Celtic jersey was soaking with spit, I expected to get the usual abuse, but that really disgusted me,” Mike Galloway

By Editor 5 March, 2018 No Comments

“My Celtic jersey was soaking with spit, I expected to get the usual abuse, but that really disgusted me,” Mike Galloway


Being in the army meant that my dad travelled around a fair bit in the sixties and seventies, and I was born in Oswestry as a result of that. My father was brought up as a Celtic supporter, and that passion for the club was inevitably passed down to me. I remember that he was stationed in Glasgow when I was a little older, and he took me to a few games at Celtic Park, which I loved. We also used to go to Lesser Hampden to watch players training, so I think we were living somewhere around Queen’s Park at that time.

My mother was from Berwick, and we settled there once my dad retired from the army. My old man ran some of the local teams, and I played for youth sides throughout my teens until I signed for Berwick Rangers. The manager at that time was Frank Connor, who had played for Celtic way back in the early sixties.

Frank didn’t want me playing in the Scottish Second Division at such a young age because of the roughness of it, and he farmed me out to a few youth teams in the Edinburgh area. I played with Elphinstone Primrose and Tynecastle Boys’ Club against lads of a similar age, and it was what I needed at that time. I still had to go into Berwick to clean the boots and terraces, but, looking back, that did me the world of good as well. Frank Connor was a very positive influence on my early career, and I feel that I had a definite bond with him.

I was finally taken on professionally when I was 18, but it was Mansfield Town who offered me my first pro contract. I went down there in 1983, and my whole career really turned around in the space of six years. I moved to Halifax in 1985, Hearts in 1987, and then Celtic in 1989. I managed to get to Celtic Park in a few two-yearly steps.

I was playing in the old English Fourth Division when I got my move to Hearts, and I couldn’t believe it when they came in for me. Before I knew it, I was playing against my beloved Celtic in the Scottish Premier League. When I arrived in Edinburgh, I was asked by a journalist early on if I knew much about the Scottish game, and I told them I had been a Celtic supporter my whole life. I never made any secret of that fact.

During my time at Hearts, I managed to score a few goals against Celtic, and was prolific during their great UEFA Cup run, which was ended by Bayern Munich at the quarter-final stage. I think that got me some attention from Celtic Park.

I’m the first to admit that I wasn’t the most gifted footballer in the world, but I always got stuck in, and this appealed to managers and to the supporters. I always gave my all, and that was always clear to see.

I remember being at Tynecastle one day after training, and Tosh McKinlay told me that he’d heard Celtic were interested in buying me. I thought Tosh was on the wind-up. As much as I wanted to, I just couldn’t believe him.

Not long after that, I took my missus up to Pitlochry for a few days. We were meant to be having a break, but I received a phone-call from Hearts out of the blue. They told me to get back down the road as soon as I could. Our short break was cancelled, and I drove back to Edinburgh. When I got there I was astonished to find out that Celtic wanted to buy me for £500,000.

I had two good years at Hearts, and I got on really well with the supporters during my time there, but it really was a dream come true to sign for Celtic. As luck would have it, the first league game of the season was at Tynecastle. By the time I came off at half-time, my Celtic jersey was soaking with spit from the Hearts supporters. I expected to get the usual abuse, but that really disgusted me.

(Celtic won the game 3-1).