Gallen chases Premiership dream
At only 29, Kevin Gallen is not yet ready to look back at his career and ponder what could have been.
Instead, the QPR stalwart is looking to the future and is eager to return to the place where he began his playing days - the Premiership.
As a raw teenager in season 1994-95, Gallen scored 14 goals as Rangers finished eighth in the top-flight.
Move the clock forward 10 years and Gallen has his reward for long service at Loftus Road with his testimonial against Birmingham on Saturday.
Both club and player have endured their share of ups and downs during that time, but Gallen has not given up on recapturing the glories of his youth.
"I would love to get back up there," Gallen told BBC Sport. "It would be brilliant to finish my career in the Premiership.
GALLEN FACTFILE
Age: 29
Clubs: QPR (92-00), Barnsley (00-01), Huddersfield (01), QPR (01- )
Loftus Road appearances: Played 366 Goals 89
"I started there and it has been a long time since I played there. I would love to have another crack at it.
"It's difficult now for a club like QPR because finances play a big part in these things.
"But it seems that we are getting those right at long last after a long time, and it seems we are going in the right direction.
"Hopefully I will be a part of it in the next few years and we can make the next step up."
Rangers only returned to the Championship last year after two seasons in League One, but Gallen believes promotion is a possibility.
"We have got to be looking at trying to get in the play-offs," he added. "We weren't far off them last year and we have improved the squad.
"It is definitely a realistic aim for us to be in with a shout heading into the last few months of the season."
It seemed unlikely that Gallen would spend most of his career in the lower divisions when he first burst on to the scene.
But the former England Under-21 international has not played in the Premiership since Rangers were relegated in 1996.
"That is my biggest regret," Gallen said.
"If we had stayed up that year, then who knows - we might still be there now.
"There are always ifs and buts, but that is just the way things have panned out and you have to get on with it."
And as well as adapting to life in the lower divisions, Gallen has also become more versatile as his career has gone on.
GALLEN TESTIMONIAL:
Date: 30 July
Opponents: Birmingham City
Kick-off: 1500 BST
Prelude: QPR legends v Chelsea legends (1300 BST)
A prolific schoolboy striker who also won several England Under-21 caps in that position, he has added more to his game in recent years.
"I played in midfield quite a bit last season," he said. "The manager wanted me there to get me on the ball and keep it.
"It went quite well because when I dropped back there initially we won seven games on the trot at a time when the manager was under a bit of pressure.
"I will play anywhere to get a game but my natural position is striker. I played about 30 games in central midfield though and I've got a used to it.
"I can play both. Wherever the manager wants me to play it is not a problem."
