Gallagher is returning to Dundee nine years after leaving Dens Park

Declan Gallagher has revealed he shunned the prospect of a megabucks move to India — after his daughter burst into tears.

Gallagher, 32, was the subject of interest from Owen Coyle’s Chennaiyin FC when it became clear his first-team opportunities would be limited at St Mirren.

The switch would have been exotic and lucrative.

However, the potential upheaval for his Dundee-based family meant he gave the notion short-shrift, ironically leaving Coyle to reportedly target former Tannadice captain Ryan Edwards.

Gallagher, meanwhile, penned a two-year contract with the Tangerines.

“I had Chennaiyin over in India interested in me, with Owen Coyle over there,” said Gallagher. “We had a chat about that.

“There are big finances (in India), but sometimes money isn’t everything when you have two small kids.

“I was on the phone-call and my daughter started crying when she heard that it could be a possibility!”

Straight-shooter

The move to United sees Gallagher reunited with boss Jim Goodwin following a brief spell working together at Aberdeen.

It was a swift period because Goodwin quickly decided that Gallagher was surplus to requirements. The towering stopper joined the Buddies within four months of the Irishman taking the reins at Pittodrie.

While Gallagher continued his career in Paisley, Goodwin toiled to find a winning defensive formula in the Granite City — with Anthony Stewart, in particular, struggling.

“The gaffer (Goodwin) was great to work with,” Gallagher continued. “He is really honest — a straight-shooter — and tells it how it is.

“I know I didn’t have the greatest of seasons at Aberdeen (2021/22). I can hold my hands up to that. I actually said that to him on the phone.

“He actually apologised and said he made a mistake! But that’s just football. It’s all about opinions and I didn’t have a great season. He wanted to go in a different direction.

“Did I think he made a mistake at the time? I’ll always say that! I’ll always back myself. But I know it wasn’t my greatest season up there. It wasn’t up to the standards I set for myself. There are no grievances there.”

He added: “But no bridges were burned. He treated me with respect and I did the same to him — and now we are back together and can hopefully achieve something great here.”

No step down

Gallagher, who made 70 appearances for Dundee between 2012 and 2014, returns to the City of Discovery with fine pedigree.

As well as a First Division title with the Dee, he won promotion to the top-flight with Livingston in 2018 — beating United in the playoffs along the way — and turned out for Motherwell and Aberdeen.

He boasts nine caps for Scotland and was part of Steve Clarke’s squad for Euro 2020.

Indeed, he was called up as recently as September 2022.

To tempt Gallagher to drop into he Championship is, in Goodwin’s words, “a coup”.

“I’ve lived in Dundee for 10 years now and all my wife’s family are from here,” he said. “I know the city and what this club means — it has a great history and I don’t see this as a step down.

“Yes, it’s a step down in league but I look at it as coming to another big club. Hopefully, if I do my job right then it (time in the Championship) will only be temporary. That’s up to me, the staff and the boys on the park to get things right.”

And Gallagher welcomes the weight of expectation that comes from the favourites tag: “I love the pressure and that’s one of the reasons I came here — to get the club back where it belongs. Every player should love that pressure.”