Barrow have announced the appointment of Paul Gallagher as the club’s new first team head coach.
Gallagher has signed an 18-month deal at The SO Legal Stadium with an option of a further year.
Also joining the new look back-up staff as assistant head coach is John Welsh who has left his role as Lead PDP Coach at Preston North End to take up the position with the Bluebirds.
CEO Iain Wood said: “Since Andy’s departure in mid-December we have undertaken an extensive process to identify the next permanent head coach and during this period we have spoken with multiple candidates.
“During this time, Paul Gallagher was appointed as a member of the Interim coaching team to assist Neil McDonald across the festive period and since coming into the building, we’ve been really impressed with Paul, his skillset and ideas.
“It became clear that Paul was a strong candidate for the permanent head coach position in his own right.
“The recent games against Tranmere and Salford have seen an upturn in performance levels and we believe that as Paul’s influence increases, performances will continue to improve.
“We’re aware that this appointment is significant for the club in the short and long-term, we believe Paul meets both those needs and we’re really pleased to have him join us.
“With the decision to make Paul Head Coach we felt it best to allow him to bring his own person in to assist the club moving forward.
“We’d like to place on record our thanks to Neil McDonald for leading the team during the festive period and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”
Born in Glasgow, Gallagher came through the ranks at Blackburn Rovers and made his competitive debut in a 2-0 win over Arsenal in March 2003.
After a series of loan moves, including a first of four spells at Preston North End, Gallagher joined Leicester City and would go on to stay six years with the Foxes scoring 25 goals.
He then went on to make almost 200 appearances for the Lilywhites in his fourth spell, totalling 313 games with over 40 goals.
After retiring in 2021, Gallagher took up the role as first team coach at Preston before departing in July 2023 to join Stoke City in the same position under Alex Neil.
Upon Neil’s departure from the Potters in December of that year, Gallagher took caretaker charge of the Championship side and led the team to draws against West Brom and Swansea.
Now at the Bluebirds helm, Gallagher is excited for the challenge ahead.
He said: “First and foremost, I am very grateful and honoured to be head coach of Barrow. I am really excited and It is something I’m looking forward to.
“Coming into the club was a real opportunity to get myself back on the grass and coach the players. I think I have engaged really well with the players and staff, and becoming a Head Coach is something I wanted to do and was the next step on my journey.
“I think we have got some really good players in the building and my job is to get the best out of them individually and as a collective.
“As a club we want to be as one, if we are going to be successful, we need everybody and that ethos is something I want to try and bring to the football club.
“I want us to be aggressive, on the front foot and the players to express themselves on the pitch. I also want us to dominate with and without the ball but also be really difficult at times to play against.
“I’m also really pleased to be able to bring John Welsh to Barrow as Assistant Head Coach.
“John is somebody I’ve worked alongside on and off the field for a long-time now and I know that that he has a lot to offer and will be a great asset to the existing Coaching staff.
Gallagher’s first game in charge is tomorrow (3pm) when they host Bristol Rovers who are a place below them in the table and three points in arrears.
They changed manager on December 16 with the experienced Steve Evans replacing Darrell Clarke.
