Simmo Sticks An Asterisk On Gall

Last updated : 05 June 2006 By Thetashkentterror
Kevin Gall
The one-time Welsh under-21 international has linked up with the Blues today until the summer of 2008, after being one of four players released by Yeovil Town on the 12th of May, along with Michael Rose, Stephen Reed and Richard Cullingford. 24-year old Gall has long been a target of Carlisle boss Paul Simpson, the Cumbrians boss trying to sign the Merthyr-born frontman on two previous occasions.

In late August 2005 Simpson tabled a five-figure bid for Gall which was accepted by former Glovers boss Gary Johnson, only for the player himself to turn the move down as he wanted to stay at the club and fight for his place. Then in January of this year the United boss moved in again for Gall, only to see his plans thwarted this time by new Yeovil manager Steve Thompson, bizarrely with the situation now in full circle as Gall now seemed happy to move to Cumbria. The time has finally come though for the Welshman to put pen to paper and Gall arrives at Brunton Park despite plentiful interest from other Football League clubs in order to sign for the Blues.

Gall began his professional footballing career as a trainee at North-East giants Newcastle United in the summer of 2000, before quickly moving nearer to his South Wales roots only seven months later when he joined Bristol Rovers in late March 2001 on a free transfer. He spent nearly two seasons with the Black Arabs before linking up with then non-league Yeovil Town on a trial basis in early February 2003, Gall eventually moving to Huish Park after making 34 appearances (plus six as a substitute) for Rovers, scoring five goals in the process.

Amazingly the Welshman was only the field for four minutes as a second-half substitute when he scored his opening first-team goal for the Glovers, netting the third goal in a 4-0 thumping of Kettering Town in a Nationwide Conference fixture. In his early days in Somerset Gall made up one half of a lethal goal scoring partnership with Kirk Jackson, with both players scoring many of the vital goals that went a long way to eventually securing Football League status for Town at the end of that 2002-03 season. Gall found life a little tougher in the step above but he was still an ever-present in the team in the 2003-04 campaign, and the next season saw a change in position for him to the right-hand side of midfield with the arrival of hot-shot striker Phil Jevons.

The move would be a revelation for Gall's career as used his searing pace to great effect on the wing, with his passing and crossing of the ball also improving with the pressure of needing to score goals now off his back. Gall played a big part in Yeovil's 2004-05 promotion season, with his all-action performances further endearing him to the Huish Park faithful, the flier also putting in a memorable FA Cup display against Charlton Athletic where he gained the FA player of the round award. With the further step up to League One Gall saw his chances with Town become more limited as the Glovers struggled to find any form in a frustrating campaign. The lack of opportunity for first-team action seeing him released by the Somerset outfit only three weeks ago after making 105 appearances (plus 49 as a substitute) for Yeovil, scoring 29 goals in the process.

Gall also made seven appearances (plus two as a substitute) for Wales under-21s during the earlier stages of his career, scoring two goals along the way. One of those goals actually coming again, on his debut, in a 1-0 win away to Azerbaijan in November 2002. The narrow victory ending Wales under-21s dreadful record of five-and-a-half years without a win, Gall's second-half strike closing the book on a run of 26 matches without success dating back to March 1997.

Welcome to Cumbria Kevin and all the best in your United career.