Rovers have started the new year of 2022 in the right way, by announcing the extension of forward, Sam Gallagher’s contract until the summer of 2024!
The forward, who had 18 months remaining on the initial deal which saw him move to Rovers from Southampton, in July 2019, has extended his stay at the Lancashire club, with Rovers holding a one-year extension option, which could see the hard-working striker stay until 2025.
The 26-year-old, is entering his sixth calendar year at Ewood Park, after initially signing on loan in the summer of 2016, from Southampton. Although the 2016-17 season ended poorly for Rovers, overall, Gallagher as an individual impressed enormously as he notched 11 league goals in 35 starts during what was inevitably, a relegation season. The former Southampton attacker also impressed Tony Mowbray, following the gaffer’s arrival and Mowbray did everything in his power to re-sign the forward, once Rovers had stabilised themselves back in the Championship.
Since returning back to Ewood Park, permanently, Gallagher has gone on to rack up 100 appearances, 20 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, yet the credit he has received has been, more for his off the ball running and relentless work-rate. Despite his injury-riddled current campaign, the Crediton-born attacker has notched up five goals and three assists in 12 Championship starts for the club, as Rovers have taken the division by storm.
Such an up-turn in fortune for the Blues has seen Gallagher openly admit his desire to play top-flight football in the Blue and White of Rovers, a feat Gallagher achieved on the South Coast.
After penning his new deal, the forward expressed his delight to RoversTV:
“To sign an extension with the club and to know that I’ll be here for a little while yet, it’s a really good feeling. I can see the direction that the club wants to go in, I want to be a part of it and to be here for as long as I can.
“You want to know that the club wants to do the right things and move in the right direction, and that’s what we’ve done so far this season. We have ambition here and that’s important. We can be fighting at the top of the division and be battling for promotion, we’ve shown that. Now we’ve had a taste of it, it’s sparked everyone a little bit more.
“I’m hungry to get back to the Premier League, having had a taste of it with Southampton. The main objective of me moving here was to help the club get into the Premier League. I knew I was joining a club that were and are ambitious to get back to the Premier League and back to where it should be. Now it’s within our grasp, we can see that it’s an achievable goal and we’re all ready for it. Seeing the opportunity, we don’t want it to go to waste.”
