Gary Speed - Rest in peace

[Ken 119]

The footballing community here in Australia is also very shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Gary. I loved the bloke and though I never knew him, he was one of only a very few that you could relate to the way he carried himself throughout his entire career. That's what makes all this so hard to digest, even today. Every single compliment, every tribute dedicated to him both here and global about this bloke is 100% genuine. It sums up the man he was. R.I.P Gary Speed.

[Holden McGroin 4795]

I suspect "No suspicious circumstances" will mean that he has left a note. I hope we find out the reason. Not in a morbid way, but just to try and understand why. All his close mates generally can't understand this or have any inkling. This really must be out of he blue for everyone.

Edited November 29, 2011 by Holden McGroin

[The Fish 8936]

So fucking sick of Grief Wars.

 

It's always the wives/girlfriends of the soldiers as well, you don't see the actual blokes who're back, whining on facebook. Normally they're just as fucking upset as the rest of us and are probably rolling their eyes when they see it.

 

basically girls are shit.

 

[Kevin S. Assilleekunt 1]

but if it was a factor I do want that to be known as they are the scum of the earth and theres never been a better time in recent history (phone hacking climate) to change journalistic practices for ever. I don't want Gary's private life to be a vehicle for it, just something that gives legitimate standing to ask the question in the first place. We're a fucking hopelessly gossip/celeb obsessed country (mainly female driven it has to be said), but a lot of it offends against our decency as a society these days. If (very very big if) there was any truth that a paper had been onto him, I'd want that exposed and his death to at least have that positive outcome.

 

I think the Leveson Inquiry are duty-bound to investigate the rumours circulating twitter to see if there's any truth in them and it is in the public's interests to know either way. But the details of any story that may have been about to break on him should never see the light of day.

 

Tell you what if there is a link, given that the Leveson inquiry is sitting at the moment, the British press as we know it should be consigned to history.

 

Disagree with both of you strongly. The current phone hacking scandal involved criminal acts perpetrated by 'journalists' and organisations which were uncovered by an investigative journalist. We have laws to deal with such criminal acts. A major part of the problem is that the police were in on it, and polititians chose to let criminal activity go unpunished because of the perceived sway the press had on the electorate. These factors enabled the criminal element to expand and not face legal action, until now (perhaps, let's wait for the result of legal action). I have no problem with free press, the criminal element is the problem.

Edited November 29, 2011 by Kevin S. Assilleekunt

[Kevin S. Assilleekunt 1]

Also, all this talk of Speed being a great happy bloke and so on. I don't know anything about Gary Speed other than he was a terrific footballer. We have no idea of his inner life or what issues he may or may not have been struggling with, and there's a reason we don't know: it's none of our business. Suicide is tough, but it doesn't shock me anymore, you see cases where successful bright people top themselves and you can't understand why. You can try and piece together bits of information, but it doesn't really make much sense of it.

[Walliver 0]

A really nice selection of quotes on .com now. Serrant, Clarkie and Fat Sam saying some lovely things.

 

Was just about to post that, as it doesn't seem to be here. The quotes just go on and on and on.

 

 

Hugo Viana (translated):

 

"I was shocked, as were all who knew him. It was another great professional I worked with in Newcastle and a great person. It's a sad outcome."

 

Alan Shearer:

 

"Gary was a magnificent person, bright, fun and a wonderful family man - he lit up every room he walked into. I am proud to have been his friend and will miss him dreadfully."

 

Steve Harper:

 

"I am shocked and devastated at the news. Gary was a great friend, the ultimate professional and will be sorely missed by everyone. Our thoughts are with his family."

 

Robert Lee:

 

“He wasn’t just a great player, he was a great person too. He was always great to be around, the life and soul of the party, and a good friend - it's a sad, sad day."

 

Steven Taylor:

 

"It is a sad, sad day. I played with him when I came through the ranks. He helped me through, he was an absolute machine - the best professional in football. He had that aura about him. He always had time for the young lads and helped them feel good about themselves.”

 

John Carver:

 

"Gary was a very close friend and colleague of mine and I am absolutely shattered by the news, it is totally devastating.

 

"When I was coaching at Newcastle with Sir Bobby, Gary was as perfect a professional as you could ever wish to work with - 100 per cent committed, dedicated to his profession and, above all, a wonderful colleague and friend.

 

"I worked with him at Sheffield United too and of course was delighted to see the fantastic job he was doing with Wales.

 

"I am devastated by the news and I can only offer his family the most sincere of condolences at this tragic time. Gary was an exceptional person and a very dear friend. Football has lost a truly great man."

 

Kevin Gallacher:

 

"It’s just a massive shock. I don’t think anyone saw it coming, certainly I didn’t, and people who worked with him on Football Focus said he was in good spirits.

 

“I played against Gary many times and I played with him for a couple of years at Newcastle. He was the sort of guy who would make you very welcome and help you out. He taught me how to play the guitar when I was there.

 

“I spoke to him a couple of months ago and whenever I saw him I would always ask him about his family. Obviously my thoughts go out to them now.

 

“He was just the ultimate professional and no-one ever had a bad word to say about him. As someone who was younger than me the news is a huge shock. I’m just trying to soak it in.

 

“He was a good friend who I’ll sadly miss.”

 

Andy Griffin:

 

"When people talk about him today, they are all saying what a good guy he was. He was obviously a great player, you don't achieve what he did without the exceptional professionalism he had. But more so, as a man he carried modesty around with him, he was very successful in his business.

 

"He was just a top bloke, it's as simple as that, and it's very, very, very sad. He's someone I always had the utmost respect for as a man, as a football player. Everyone had nothing but positive things to say about him, and rightly so."

 

NUFC:

 

"The board, manager, staff and players of Newcastle United FC are today deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of Gary Speed.

 

"Gary was an inspirational and much-loved player at Newcastle United during his time with the club from 1998 to 2004, making 285 appearances and scoring 40 goals. He was an excellent servant to the club, the ultimate professional, and an exceptional role-model for younger players.

 

"Gary will be deeply missed by everyone at Newcastle United. Our condolences go out to his family at this very sad time."

 

Shola Ameobi:

 

"Gary was a really great guy who joined the club the year before I made my debut. I looked up to likes of Gary and Alan Shearer, and he was always there for me and the rest of the young lads, taking time to talk to us at training and pass on little tips that helped you improve as a player. Not everyone would do that so it just goes to show what a class act he was.

 

"He taught me so much, not just on the field, but how to handle yourself off the pitch too. I wish his family all the very best at this terribly sad time."

 

Alan Pardew:

 

"This is one of the saddest days in football, when we hear a colleague as respected as Gary is tragically no longer with us.

 

"A top class international player whose seamless move into national team management tells us everything you need to know about him. He had great class on and off the pitch, he was a man of true character that so many people looked up to.

 

"It is so sad and tonight my thoughts are of course with his family."

 

Nobby Solano:

 

"He was a special guy, I was very close to him. He was a pretty strong character in the dressing room, especially when you had a bad game – he would give you a lift.

 

“He was a second captain after Alan Shearer. He was a great professional, giving everything in training day by day. He was an excellent leader and an excellent team-mate. It’s a sad day for football and especially for people who knew him.

 

“I remember when he was 34, 35, he was always training normally like a young lad - he always looked after himself.”

 

Steve Howey:

 

"He’s a man that will be hugely missed. I can’t believe he’s gone but I will never forget him. About two or three weeks ago I was with him and his son watching a game. He seemed fine and he was just cracking on.”

 

Lee Clark:

 

"Whatever people's opinions are on how good he was as a footballer, he was an even better person. He was one of the best footballers I played against - a man that did everything to the best of his ability and would do anything to be the best.

 

"It is hard to put into words what he was like as a person - you couldn't compare him. He was the best."

 

Terry McDermott:

 

"He was one of the nice guys of football and as I don't know anyone who had a bad word to say about him. He was a gem person and a very, very good footballer. Away from football he was a wonderful family man - to lose him is unbelievable.

 

Steve Watson:

 

"I heard the tragic news on the coach down to Charlton yesterday and I felt completely numb. I immediately phoned my wife as we are very close to his family and have spent time away from the football field together.

 

"It is devastating news, Gary was an unbelievable football man whether he was playing, coaching or managing. He was completely dedicated and loved the game.

 

"Away from the field he was a great person and very much a family man. My thoughts, as are those of my family, are with his wife and his two children."

 

Michael Chopra:

 

“He was a brilliant professional and when I was at Newcastle he would always be available to help you out and offer you some advice if you needed it.

 

"You remember the little things and I knew that if I ever needed to speak to someone, Gary was always there for you. It was a really sad day to find out what had happened to him. He had a bright future as a manager. “

 

Lee Bowyer:

 

“He was such a professional and so many people looked up to him. For the time that I knew him, and I've met up with him since leaving Newcastle, he was always so kind and just a really nice person.

 

“You couldn't say a bad word against the guy, he was a true gentleman on and off the field and he's definitely going to be missed.”

 

Carl Serrant:

 

"It was just a shock, a total shock. It is difficult to come to terms with. It seems so out-of-character for someone like that to do something like that. He was such a strong character, fun-loving and a leader.

 

"As a man and as a professional, he had every quality that you would want to be a top-level player and that is why he was the success that he was. He had a hell of a lot of talent, and he maximised it through his professionalism.

 

"He was the type of guy that you would want to be. He was full of stories, a funny guy and a leader of men. If you went out for a drink or were in a group, he would be the one leading the banter. He was a really intelligent guy, hard-working and always looking to improve himself.

 

"No-one ever spoke badly of Speedo - you couldn't. He was a strong-minded character, but spoke with a real level-headedness.... it is so sad, it's unbelievable."

 

Peter Ramage:

 

"I came up through the ranks at Newcastle and Speedo was a big character there. The young lads like me used to train with the senior pros quite often and Speedo was always the life and soul of the Club.

 

"He was a great bloke - one of a kind - and especially good with the younger lads like me at the time. He was always very supportive to us all. He would always encourage us. He was an absolute gentleman - on and off the park - and I still can't quite believe it.

 

"The way he conducted himself in any circumstance was unbelievable. He was a credit to himself, his family and the game in general. The world of football has lost one of the really good guys."

 

Kenny Dalglish:

 

"He was a smashing lad and was really well respected. We don’t know the circumstances 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 a times like this that the football becomes a wee bit irrelevant. He was a very respected man in and around football."

 

Graeme Souness:

 

"You can call someone a great player if they've played for so long and won things. Some people are called great players after one season, but for me if you play for such a long time, it shows your character."

 

Sam Allardyce:

 

"I was fortunate to take Gary to Bolton. At that stage he was a young 34 and most people were saying he was getting past it, but in actual fact his stats were absolutely outstanding.

 

"As soon as he walked into the club he had an aura. He did everything to detail. When generally an old professional might moan and groan and say 'I don't want to do this' he just took it on board.

 

"I was also fortunate to get to know him as a person. He was an outstanding individual and this is what's devastating.

 

"His life was about standards, he had a high standard for everything that he did. To sum it up, if you had a daughter and she brought Gary Speed home you'd be delighted."

 

Mick Wadsworth:

 

"What can you say about Gary that hasn't already been said? I was fortunate to have worked with him. At that time, Sir Bobby gave me free licence to train the side when we were working to turn the club around.

 

"It was a difficult period for the club, but players like Gary Speed, Robert Lee, Alan Shearer, Shay Given, Steve Harper and Warren Barton, they were really important people in getting the club going again and Gary was a key member of that group.

 

"He was totally dependable, totally - his attitude to training, playing and learning and he also had a great will to win. He was the absolute model professional."

 

Upon hearing the news, Speed's former Magpies colleagueCraig Bellamy withdrew from Liverpool's squad for Sunday's game against Manchester City.

 

Fellow ex-Mags Jermaine Jenas and Shay Given were part of the Aston Villa squad who played Swansea on Sunday - the latter visibly moved by a tribute to Speed made by both players and crowd at the Liberty Stadium.

 

The North East Football Writer's Association meanwhile announced that their annual dinner and awards ceremony scheduled for Sunday evening had been postponed as a mark of respect.

Source

Edited November 29, 2011 by Walliver

[manc-mag 1]

but if it was a factor I do want that to be known as they are the scum of the earth and theres never been a better time in recent history (phone hacking climate) to change journalistic practices for ever. I don't want Gary's private life to be a vehicle for it, just something that gives legitimate standing to ask the question in the first place. We're a fucking hopelessly gossip/celeb obsessed country (mainly female driven it has to be said), but a lot of it offends against our decency as a society these days. If (very very big if) there was any truth that a paper had been onto him, I'd want that exposed and his death to at least have that positive outcome.

 

I think the Leveson Inquiry are duty-bound to investigate the rumours circulating twitter to see if there's any truth in them and it is in the public's interests to know either way. But the details of any story that may have been about to break on him should never see the light of day.

 

Tell you what if there is a link, given that the Leveson inquiry is sitting at the moment, the British press as we know it should be consigned to history.

 

Disagree with both of you strongly. The current phone hacking scandal involved criminal acts perpetrated by 'journalists' and organisations which were uncovered by an investigative journalist. We have laws to deal with such criminal acts. A major part of the problem is that the police were in on it, and polititians chose to let criminal activity go unpunished because of the perceived sway the press had on the electorate. These factors enabled the criminal element to expand and not face legal action, until now (perhaps, let's wait for the result of legal action). I have no problem with free press, the criminal element is the problem.

 

Not really sure which part of what I said you're disagreeing with tbh. The phone hacking involves alleged illegality and therefore those involved should face criminal sanction. The rumours (and thats all they are) about a salacious tabloid story being a factor in Gary Speed's death might have been 100% legal for a free press to i. research and ii. report, but if there was any substance to it I'd want it to be known I consider shit like that absolutely none of my business in the first place. That's just having a strongly disapproving opinion about what is an often horrendously motivated industry, not me claiming that a crime's been committed. I'm perfectly sensible of the difference.

 

As it's never been any more than a rumour though I don't want to contribute to perpetuating anything that might not be true in the first place, so I won't, save only to say that I stand by the principle of what I originally said.

[peasepud 59]

The North East Football Writer's Association meanwhile announced that their annual dinner and awards ceremony scheduled for Sunday evening had been postponed as a mark of respect.

I never quite understand that.

 

Why cancel something that was only fleetingly related to the person? if he'd been the main speaker or heavily involved in the FWA then yes but to me a more fitting mark of respect would be for them to hold it and celebrate his life.

[Gemmill 34150]

I suspect it just didn't feel appropriate for the individuals involved. The event wasnt directly linked to Speed, but a lot of the people involved would have been. The news had only come out on Sunday, and it was such a shock that, days later, people still haven't processed. To try and put on a tribute to a bloke that you couldn't even believe was actually dead would be a difficult task.

[wykikitoon 16467]

The tribute Viana put on his shirt was brilliant.

[Asprilla 96]

Souness's seemed a bit half hearted tbf...

[wykikitoon 16467]

off to Bellend Rd at lunch to put me scarf down.

 

Feeling emotional already

[ewerk 26116]

Souness's seemed a bit half hearted tbf...

 

In fairness, Souness and Neville were put on the spot on Sunday afternoon. Both said that they didn't really know him yet they were expected to spend five minutes talking about him. I don't think that either of them wanted to bang on about what a great guy he was when they didn't know him personally.

[Tooj 17]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDprGDtvnUQ

 

[wykikitoon 16467]

Just walked over to Elland Rd.

 

Very moving indeed.

[aimaad22 3414]

Here's a nice compilation I found, cant remember who made it but must have been either Pedro or Jonny's work. Shows his best moments at Newcastle and brings back a ton of memories, thought it'd be worth sharing.

 

Didnt work on youtube etc, so here's a direct link, (cant figure out how to embed it )

 

 

Gary Speed Farewell.wmv - 26.01MB

[aimaad22 3414]

just noticed it wont play in their flash player, but the download should work fine and its a small enough file

[Baggio 0]

Fine tribute being offered at the Swansea match.

 

Chants of 'There's only one Gary Speed' leaving a chill down the spine.

Not sure a minutes applause is all that appropriate for a young man taking his own life.

 

I suppose it was spontaneous and people choose to show their respects in different ways.

 

I was at the game and all we really had was whispers about his death with no clue as to how or why it happened.

 

From going from wondering if it was genuine or not to standing for a minutes silence in what felt like the space of a few minutes was just such a surreal moment.

[Craig 6284]

Baggio?

 

Fucking hell I thought you'd fallen in the Tyne!

[Craig 6284]

1625 FOOTBALL: The Premier League have confirmed that a minute's applause will be observed before all matches this weekend in honour of Gary Speed, who made 535 appearances in the competition.

[wykikitoon 16467]

1625 FOOTBALL: The Premier League have confirmed that a minute's applause will be observed before all matches this weekend in honour of Gary Speed, who made 535 appearances in the competition.

 

IMO A minutes applause is crap! But thanks to the mongs who cant respect someone its what we have to do.

[@yourservice 67]

A minutes waving of the scarves would be canny.

[wykikitoon 16467]

A minutes waving of the scarves would be canny.

 

A mate of mine who is a Leeds fan has said they're organising an eleven minute chant of his name from the eleventh minute

[@yourservice 67]

The six minute hearing.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/news/8923688/Gary-Speeds-wife-found-his-body-inquest-told.html

[Toonraider 0]

Personally I prefer a minutes silence, it seems more respectful.

I'm sure I have a Gary Speed compilation film on my old PC, one of Pedro's I think, I will try and get it on here.

 

I'm still absolutely gutted, I adored him