Declan’s tipping Halkett to play for Scotland
Declan Gallagher is tipping big things for Craig Halkett after being squeezed of the Betfred Cup by his former skipper.
The pair were teammates and friends at Livingston, but each quit to join the Lions’ Premiership rivals in the summer, with Gallagher signing for Motherwell and Halkett making good on a pre-contract agreement with Hearts.
They were reunited at a rain-swept Fir Park on Friday night, with the latter coming out on top in a 2-1 win.
“Halkett was texting me earlier and was saying I had better hope I wasn’t marking him at corners! But it was good to see him,” said Gallagher.
“It was strange to be on the opposite side to him, especially at the wee tussle in the second half.
“I felt him grabbing me and saying: ‘Stay out of it, Dec’. So some things never change.
“Everybody knew that Halkett would do very well when he went to Hearts. He was a great player at Livingston.
“There is no point in denying that he will go further in the game again because he’s still a young boy.
“If he keeps playing the way he has been playing, then a Scotland call-up or a move down south can definitely be on the cards for him.”
For Gallagher and Motherwell, it is back to league business, with Saturday throwing up a Lanarkshire derby against Hamilton Accies at the Fountain of Youth Stadium.
“It was a hard one to take to go out the Cup at this stage,” admitted Gallagher.
“In the early stages, you’re playing against lower-division teams, and you’re expected to do well, which we did.
“This result has been a bit of a wake-up call for us, to remind us that we’re not now playing against Championship and League One teams.
“I’ve played in Dundee derbies, so the Hamilton game will be the second derby of my senior career.
“Livingston are bang in the middle of the country, so we don’t really have a local rivalry.
“They like to kid on they have derby games against the Edinburgh teams or Falkirk!
“I know what the expectations are, and feel comfortable playing in front of a full house. The tempo will be high, and hopefully we come out as the winners.
“I have been really enjoying my time at Motherwell, and I can see myself developing as a player because I love the way the gaffer wants to play out from the back.”