Former Scotland international takes first steps into coaching career as SPFL manager hails ‘valuable asset’

Gallagher, 35, has confirmed he will continue his playing career with the Diamonds in the upcoming season, but will combine his on-pitch duties with a new coaching role after being appointed John Rankin’s assistant at the Excelsior Stadium, joining the club as a free agent following his departure from Ross County in the wake of their relegation to the third tier.

Beginning his career in the Celtic academy, the imposing centre-back has also represented Clyde, Dundee, Livingston, Motherwell, Aberdeen, St Mirren, Dundee United and Ross County during his career, whilst he also formed part of Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad at the European Championships in 2021.

Capped nine times by the national team, Gallagher played a crucial role in Scotland’s pulsating penalty shootout win over Serbia in November 2020, nullifying star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and helping the national team end an agonising 23-year wait for a major tournament appearance.

Speaking exclusively to the Scotsman about his role in the win over Serbia in 2024, Gallagher recalled: “That was our moment. There was something we could do to take away that hurt the nation felt. That’s what we talked about in the team talk in extra time. Even when Serbia had their best part of the game in extra time, and people thought we weren’t going to get there, we stayed resilient as a team. We held out. We took it to penalties.”

Now almost six years on from the defining moment of his career, Gallagher is ready to step into coaching with Airdrieonians, who face his former club Ross County in the group stages of the Premier Sports Cup at home this weekend.

“It’s not every day that you get offered an assistant manager’s role,” said Gallagher. “So it’s something that I was really eager to get done – and working with a guy like the manager, to learn from him is amazing for me. I’m still here as a player, I’ll still be pushing to start games of football, but I’m also here to help the younger boys and give them that bit of guidance that they need.”

“I’m delighted to get Declan on board,” said head coach Rankin. “I think over the period of pre-season we’ve seen that we’re a wee bit lacking in experience within the squad – players that have been there, done it and wore the t-shirt. It’s important that you can coach from within the game and Declan give us that, he’s someone that I wanted to bring in for that and to help him transition to the next stage of his career. He’ll be a valuable asset in such a young squad, so when he became available he was one that we certainly wanted to tie down.”