Leeds United 2 - 0 Millwall: Elland Road honours great no. 11

Less than a week after the 42-year-old Wales manager took his own life, Gary McAllister, Gordon Strachan and David Batty – the three midfielders with whom Speed combined to help Leeds rule English football some 20 years ago – were reunited in Elland Road’s centre circle.

As a minute’s applause was accompanied by booming chants of “Speedo, Speedo”, emotion dripped down the cheeks of Strachan and Batty, a former midfield hardman better known in these parts for tackles than tears.

Meanwhile, McAllister, himself no stranger to grief following the death of his wife, was fighting a losing battle to keep himself from welling up before the midfield trio laid a wreath between the two dugouts.

Those with dry eyes were in a small minority.

While footballing giants of West Yorkshire were reduced to blubbering wrecks, perhaps the biggest tribute to Speed’s memory is that one of the most volatile rivalries in British football was put on hold. On any other weekend, this fixture would have portrayed the most rancorous side of the Beautiful Game.

Usually anything goes when these two bitter foes collide – just eight months ago Millwall fans goaded their Yorkshire rivals with Galatasaray shirts, a sick reference to the death of two Leeds fans killed in Turkey almost 12 years ago.

But when Kenny Jackett, the Millwall manager, was greeted by warm applause from the Leeds support as he walked up to lay a wreath behind the goal, it reassured the cynics that football has a truly uplifting side.

Meanwhile, the away support, as far as could be heard from the press area, refrained from anything sinister. This in itself, given the history between the sides, was a victory for human decency as well as a massive relief to all present given that Speed’s parents, wife and children had made the brave decision to attend the match.

The family spent time with Leeds manager Simon Grayson and Speed’s old teammates before watching a fitting tribute unfold. At half-time, Speed’s widow, Louise, and their two children were taken outside to view the swathes of shirts, scarves, flowers and notes surrounding the Billy Bremner statue before returning for the second half and then slipping out five minutes before the end.

After the touching pre-match rituals, there seemed little appetite for a game of football, with booing of Millwall players half-hearted.

Songs of tribute constantly rained down from the old Kop and then, in the 11th minute, as they had done in the midweek win at Nottingham Forest, the Leeds fans overcame lumps in throats to sing Speed’s name for 11 minutes constantly – never a chance of this occasion not being all about the much-loved, championship-winning No.11.

It was all a tad surreal as the players attempted to go about their business as normally as possible in front of a crowd whose only intention was to remember a man who had given them so much happiness.

As much as the football itself was always going to be of limited relevance, it would be wrong to ignore the pertinence of the game’s two goals. While two Scots – McAllister and Strachan – had been prominent in the pre-match poignancy, it was another who ensured Leeds honoured Speed with a win.

Speed – a left-footed midfielder who excelled in the air – would have looked on in approval as Scotland winger Robert Snodgrass, who also scored during the 11-minute tribute at Forest in midweek, bent home a brilliant left-footed free-kick before sealing the win with a brave diving header. Speed’s qualities as a footballer were encapsulated perfectly and the former Livingston player duly pointed to the black armband embroidered with Speed’s name and the number 11.

By the time the full-time whistle sounded, “Stand Up For Gary Speed” was booming out from all four stands as Grayson and stand-in captain Snodgrass led the Whites on an emotional lap of honour, these two prominent figures well aware of the unity the entire club had shown in its most difficult week since the Istanbul tragedy.

Afterwards Grayson described the Leeds fans as “the best in the world” and vowed to pay Speed the ultimate tribute by ensuring they win promotion back to the Premier League, where the Welshman was an iconic figure in his playing days.