Former Hearts player dies aged 60 as club pay tribute to 'popular figure'

Hearts have paid tribute to Mike Galloway after the ‘popular figure’ passed away at the age of 60.

Galloway played multiple positions across defence, midfield and attack after signing for Hearts in 1987. He played 86 times across his two years in Gorgie and is fondly remembered for his role in the Tynecastle club reaching the UEFA Cup quarter-finals. The versatile star played a big part in that campaign where, amongst other achievements, he scored the only goal of a famous win against FK Austria in Vienna.

Celtic signed him for over £500k in 1989 and his career sadly ended in a near-fatal car crash. Galloway also featured for Scotland, Berwick Rangers, Mansfield Town, Halifax Town and Leicester City over the course of his career and has managed various East of Scotland League sides since retiring from playing. Hearts confirmed news of his passing on Wednesday morning.

Hearts on Mike Galloway

Club historian David Speed wrote: “It is with great sadness that Heart of Midlothian confirms the passing of our former player Mike Galloway. A popular figure during his two seasons at Tynecastle. Galloway always carried a powerful presence in central defence, midfield, or even in the attack. An aggressive tackler, strong in the air and always full of purpose and energy.

“Mike played one game for Scotland, in October 1991 against Romania, but he was actually born in Oswestry, Shropshire, on 30 May 1965. However, his father was a soldier with the King’s Own Scottish Borderers and both he and his dad considered themselves to be Scotsmen. With his father being posted to several military bases, including Berlin, Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh, Mike learned his football in diverse places. He appeared for Holywood Star (Belfast), Tynecastle Boys Club and then Elphinstone Primrose after the Galloway family settled in Berwick-upon-Tweed.

“After a spell with Berwick Rangers, Mike signed for Mansfield Town, of the old Fourth Division, in July 1983. He made over 60 appearances before moving to another Fourth Division club, Halifax Town, two years later. After almost 100 games for Halifax, a £60,000 fee brought Mike to Hearts in November, 1987. Mike had a sensational spell at Tynecastle and he brought steel to the midfield, as well as his scoring ability which saw him net 22 goals in 86 appearances. He helped Hearts to runners-up position in the Premier Division and also the Scottish Cup Semi-Finals in 1987-88. This earned Hearts a place in the UEFA Cup, where Mike really made his mark.

“He was particularly brilliant in Hearts’ best European campaign to date. Mike scored in both legs against St. Patrick’s Athletic and Velez Mostar. In addition, he scored the only goal of the famous victory against FK Austria in Vienna. Hearts subsequently played Bayern in the Quarter-Finals and narrowly lost 2-1 on aggregate. He always gave Hearts an honest 90-minutes and this earned his first Under-21 international cap in March 1989 and inclusion in the Scotland squad that year. His performances also attracted Celtic and he joined the Glasgow club in June 1989 for a fee of £560,000.

Hearts pay tribute to Jimmy Irvine

“Mike played 160 games for Celtic and had a brief spell on loan to Leicester City in February 1995. Regretfully, a near-fatal car crash in August that year ended his playing career, but to his great credit, Mike overcame his difficulties and was able to move into coaching with Tranent Juniors and later Wooler, Coldstream, Berwick United, Eyemouth United. Our sincere condolences are extended to his family and friends at this sad time.”

The club added via social media: “Everyone at Heart of Midlothian is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former player, Mike Galloway. Mike scored 22 goals in 86 appearances for Hearts between 1987-1989 and we send our condolences to his family and friends.”

Hearts also paid tribute to Jimmy Irvine this week. The former forward has passed away aged 85, joining the Jambos in 1967, before exiting for Barrow after previously representing Dundee United and Middlesbrough. Speed said: “It is with great sadness that the club has learned of the death of our former player, Jimmy Irvine, a powerfully-built attacker who manager, John Harvey, brought to Tynecastle in 1967 to lead the front line. He went on the score 16 goals in 51 appearances which would undoubtedly have been more, but for a succession of injuries. Jimmy retired in 1972 and later worked as a spray-painter in Bathgate and coached the junior sides, Armadale Thistle and Blackburn United. Only injuries prevented Jimmy Irvine from making a much greater impact at Tynecastle and our sincere condolences are extended to his family and friends.”