Tony Gallacher’s time with Toronto FC was relatively brief, though his Major League Soccer tenure left a strong impression.
The Liverpool and Scotland youth international left back, who joined the Reds last September on loan, called his MLS spell “exactly what I needed” as he looked to develop. Gallacher, 21, featured in 10 total matches (five starts) and registered one assist as Toronto made the Audi 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs.
“I'm so glad I did it and I don't regret a minute of it at all,” Gallacher said in an interview with liverpoolfc.com. “I was glad I was so open to it. I'll be honest, I didn't know much about the league at all going into it or what the standard was like.
“The first game I played was against New York City and I hadn't played many minutes before that. The manager told me I was starting and that was a tough, tough game. They were a very aggressive team so it was definitely an eye-opener for me, but I couldn't have picked a better game, to be honest, to start off in.”
Gallacher awaits his first-team debut with Liverpool, last year’s Premier League champions and UEFA Champions League winners the year prior. He’s also played at Falkirk in his home country, though is searching for a consistent top-level run.
One highlight of his Toronto stay, Gallacher said, was notching an assist in an early-October win over Philadelphia Union. He picked out Ayo Akinola with a pinpoint cross, helping them earn the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and nearly lift the Supporters’ Shield. Arriving on loan as injuries piled up, Gallacher emerged as an important contributor.
“All I had to do was take a good touch and look up, and I saw Ayo Akinola at the back post and I just whipped the ball into him, things we did all the time in training," Gallacher said. "It was just one of those where I've connected perfectly and he's put it into the back of the net. We ended up winning 2-1 so that was a great moment in the changing rooms afterwards when all of the lads were congratulating me.”
Aside from Gallacher, several young players have recently come from England to MLS. CF Montréal center back Luis Binks was with Tottenham Hotspur and Orlando City SC recently acquired goalkeeper Brandon Austin on loan from Tottenham. Further, the New York Red Bulls just landed wingback Tom Edwards on loan from Stoke City.
To get more from Gallacher about his time with Toronto, check out the entire piece here.
