After playing professionally with Bury and Notts County, Jimmy Gallagher signed for Exeter City on the outbreak of war in 1939 but found his time at St James’ Park immediately curtailed. After coaching at Notts County after the war, he returned to the Grecians as trainer in 1948 and played one game in an emergency in 1949 when aged thirty-seven.

He commenced his career with Bury, signing professional in January 1936, but didn’t feature in the league before switching to Notts County in August 1937 where he played 23 league matches scoring twice.

Moving to Exeter City in June 1939, and already a Grenadier Guards reservist, Jimmy soon headed back to Lancashire on the outbreak of war and guested for Southport ahead of joining the Coldstream Guards. Back in Exeter during the autumn of 1945 he made a couple of appearances in the interim competitions organised for 1945/46 as well as turning out in City's FA Cup tie at Newport County when he scored the goal in a 5-1 defeat.  

Securing a coaching role back at his old club Notts County for a year or so, he subsequently rejoined Exeter in September 1948 as trainer. And, with City facing an injury crisis over the Christmas and New Year period, Jimmy was pressed into action to make his only league appearance for the club - at the age of 37 - at Norwich City on 1 January 1949; this being his first appearance in the Football League since 1937/38. Remaining as trainer until May 1953, he enjoyed a joint benefit match with Stan Cutting in May 1950 when Exeter City played Leicester City.

Jimmy died at his Southampton home in December 1972.