Former City boss Nigel Pearson paid £1 million to prize Paul Gallagher away from Blackburn Rovers, the club at which Gallagher had started his career.

Gallagher made his Blackburn aged just seventeen, coming on as a 78^th minute substitute in a 2-0 win over Arsenal in March 2003.

Gallagher had to wait until the following season to score his first Rovers' goal, he netted in a 4-0 romp against Birmingham City in December, 2003.

In the 2004/05 Gallagher scored three goals in as many games at the start of the season, but then failed to register again for the remainder of the campaign.

From 2005 onwards Gallagher often found himself out on loan to Championship sides, starting with Stoke City.

Gallagher scored twelve goals for the Potters whilst at the Britannia, including winners against Hull and Preston and a goal in the 3-2 win over Leicester.

The following season Gallagher was back at Blackburn, making 22 appearances including four in the UEFA Cup against the likes of Nancy and FC Basle. Gallagher only scored twice that season, in wins against Manchester City and Everton.

In the 2007/08 season, went out on loan again firstly to Preston, before returning to Stoke City again towards the end of the season. That campaign was a largely frustrating one for Gallagher he only scored once that goal coming in mid-September against Sheffield Wednesday.

The final side that Gallagher joined on loan before moving to City was Plymouth Argyle, and he enjoyed his best goal scoring season whilst down at Home Park. The attacker scored 13 goals for the Mariners.

In his first season at City Gallagher scored seven times, including his first career hat-trick in the 5-1 hammering of Scunthorpe.

Gallagher finished the season with a couple of notable individual awards, he was named the Championship Player of the Month for February, and his stunning free kick against Forest was voted goal of the season by the club's supporters.