Gary Speed: an ‘incredible guy who was loved by everyone’

TRIBUTES were paid yesterday to Gary Speed, the manager of the Welsh national football team, after he was found hanged at his home in Chester.

The body of the 42-year-old, who was married with two children, was discovered yesterday morning, hours after he appeared live on BBC1’s Football Focus. It is thought he had made provisional plans to appear on the programme again before Christmas.

Dan Walker, the show’s host, said Speed had spoken about his sons, adding: “He was perhaps in the best mood I had seen him in. He was very bubbly.”

Click here to watch Gary Speed’s final interview on BBC’s Football Focus

After the show, Speed is believed to have joined ex-teammate Alan Shearer to watch live coverage of Blackburn’s game against Stoke, then gone to see his old club Newcastle United’s draw with Manchester United.

Swansea City’s match with Aston Villa yesterday began with a minute’s silence before fans broke into applause. Villa goalkeeper Shay Given, who played with Speed at Newcastle, wiped tears from his cheeks before the kick-off.

Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish said: “My blood ran cold when I heard the news – it’s absolutely horrific. Gary was doing fantastic with the Welsh team. It’s very sad news.”

The whole of football was shocked and saddened at the death of the young manager, who was made an MBE last year for his services to the game. Police said there were “no suspicious circumstances”.

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish, who signed Speed while Newcastle manager, said before his side’s game with Manchester City: “He was a smashing lad and was really well respected.

“We don’t know the circumstances obviously, and there’ll be a lot of people who are saddened at what’s happened, but I think the most important people at this particular moment in time is his wife and kids – they must be absolutely devastated.

“It’s at times like this that the football becomes a wee bit irrelevant.”

Scotland national coach Craig Levein, whose side will face Wales in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, said: “Football has lost a real talent and a gentleman. Gary was a young manager with the world at his feet.

“[Scottish Football Association chief executive] Stewart Regan and I were laughing and joking with him just last week. He was doing some fantastic work with the Welsh national team and I was looking forward to pitting my wits against him over the next couple of years.”

Former Celtic striker and fellow Welshman John Hartson said he was “totally devastated” and “numb”.

“I feel for his family,” he said. “I knew his wife and boys, and I am just devastated.

“He was an absolutely fabulous man, loved by everybody and just an incredible guy.”

The Football Association of Wales said: “That this tragedy should have overtaken someone so young and talented is a huge loss not only for his family and friends but a nation as a whole.”

A spokesman for Prime Minister David Cameron said he was “deeply saddened” by the news.

Speed, who played for Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle and Bolton, took charge of Wales for the first time in February this year, and his last game in charge was on 12 November, when the team defeated Norway 4-1 in a friendly.

His death came the day after another former player, Stan Collymore, spoke on Twitter about his battle with depression.

The Sun denied it had been planning to run a story on Speed, after online speculation that a tabloid newspaper was preparing to print an article about his private life. The paper said on its official Twitter account: “The Sun was not investigating Gary Speed in any way.”

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