Gallen happy to be centre of attention again

A knee ligament injury sent his career into such a decline that he joined Huddersfield on a free transfer four years ago, the same season that the Superhoops were relegated to Division Two. An unsuccessful move to Barnsley followed and Gallen was happy to return to QPR in November 2001. Both have benefited.

"Over the last two or three seasons, I have consistently been playing the best football of my career," said the Rangers captain. "We are playing at a lower level than when I first started, but my own game is better.

"After doing my knee, I could never play more than seven or eight games without getting injured and I struggled with a hamstring. Now I have got to grips with my hamstring and I have missed only one game over the last two seasons, which is pleasing.

"Hopefully, I can stay injury free again this season and realise my potential."

Gallen, whose turn of speed is clearly not what it was a decade ago, has had to adapt his game in the past month with manager Ian Holloway deploying him as a central midfield playmaker alongside the effervescent Marc Bircham.

It is a role Gallen has filled occasionally over the past couple of seasons and one which allows the pacier Jamie Cureton to play alongside Paul Furlong, Standard Sport's player of the month for September.

"I would rather play up front but I have no problem being in midfield if that's where the manager wants me to play," said Gallen. "I just want to play every game.

"Midfield is a different role as it requires a lot of defensive work. But it is not as physically demanding as playing up front, where you do a lot of sprinting and closing people down. To play up front in this division you have to be sharp and aggressive. I have thought about playing midfield full time to prolong my career but I'm only 29. I think I still have a lot to offer as a striker."

Gallen's spell in midfield has coincided with a run of six consecutive wins for Rangers, which has rocketed them to fourth in the Championship and two points ahead of West Ham.

The Rangers captain, who has scored four goals this term, believes his team will have to be at their best if they are to overcome their East End rivals tomorrow. "They are one of the favourites to get promoted and are a good side," he said. "They have bought a lot of players and they are probably the biggest club in the league. Chelsea were our main rivals but any game against West Ham is big.

"It's a London derby and these games always have a little bit extra.

"If you finish above West Ham this season, you are definitely going to be in the play-offs. You are probably looking at an automatic spot.

"We are not getting carried away with our start to the season but it is a good opportunity for us to see how good we are."

Holloway is expected to stick with the same team that triumphed at Stoke a fortnight ago.