Matches – 29 November 2011 – Nottingham Forest 0 Leeds United 4 Championship – City Ground – 23,577 Scorers: Leeds - Snodgrass (20 mins), Howson (45), Becchio (49), Clayton (66) Nottingham Forest: Camp, Morgan, Chambers, Lynch, Reid, Cunningham (Gunter 64), Anderson, McGugan (McGoldrick 64), Moussi, Tudgay, Findley (Miller 46) Leeds United: McCarthy, Connolly, Kisnorbo, Lees, Pugh, Snodgrass (Nunez 80), Clayton (Keogh 75), Howson, Brown, White, Becchio (McCormack 75) News of the untimely death of former Leeds United midfielder Gary Speed broke on the morning of Sunday, 27 November 2011. The 42-year-old, who had succeeded John Toshack as manager of Wales in December 2010, appeared as a guest the previous day on BBC’s Football Focus programme, with presenter Dan Walker, who recalled the day on his blog: “He was cracking jokes with Gary McAllister, his midfield partner from the title- winning Leeds side of 1991/92. Off air we talked about playing golf, how good his boys were at football and his dreams of taking Wales Howard Wilkinson - "As the ultimate professional, Gary was a star in the true sense" to the World Cup in 2014. “After Focus we recorded a 10-minute piece with Gary talking about Wales’ qualifying campaign for the next World Cup. He spoke with passion about the fixtures and desire to see success. His hope was that the upturn in form would see his team playing in front of full stadia again. He joked about Team GB and how Scotland would be an easy game, McAllister giggled. “I joined Gary in the Match of the Day production office a few minutes later where he was chatting with Shearer, Mark Lawrenson and McAllister. They were having a laugh and watching the Stoke v Blackburn game. Alan and Gary were organising when they were going to see each other next before Shearer left to go to watch Manchester United v Newcastle at Old Trafford. They all ribbed Alan for his comedy hat that later featured on MOTD.” After the match ended, Speed drove home to Cheshire. The following morning, just before 7am, his wife Louise found his body hanged in the garage. She telephoned the ambulance service at 7:08am and the police were also informed. They confirmed that they were not treating the death as suspicious. His death was announced to the public by the Football Association of Wales. www.mightyleeds.co.uk - Matches – 29 November 2011, Nottingham Forest 0 Leeds United 4 1 An inquest was held, with the coroner reaching a narrative verdict, stating that cause of death was by “self-suspension”. There was insufficient evidence to determine whether it was intentional as he may have intended to make a “dramatic gesture”. The inquest heard that the pressure of management had put some strain on his marriage and that he and Louise had argued the night before his death. Alan Shearer had told Speed that such arguments were normal within a long-term relationship, and Louise told the inquest how recent conversations between her and her husband “went on about our future together and how excited he was about our journey together”. Four days before his death, Speed had sent a text to his wife about the possibility of suicide, but he also dismissed such an action because of the importance of his wife and two children. The football world was stunned by the news and rallied round, united in their tributes to the likeable Welshman. Speed was the first player to make 500 appearances in the Premier League, after signing professional terms with Leeds in 1988 and making his first team debut at the age of 19 under the management of Howard Wilkinson, who commented: “Gary Speed was honourable, trustworthy and a joy to manage. He was honest, he was a role model and he was a great bloke. An avid learner, he recognised responsibility and he was always fully committed. Above all, he was a lovely person. Out of all the players I’ve have had under my wing, he remained a real favourite. “As the ultimate professional, Gary was a star in the true sense. For him to leave us at 42 is such a tragic loss. As a manager he had a life of success to look forward to, I’m sure. He had started so promisingly in charge of Wales, I imagined his managerial career would follow a steadily upward curve. Speed's widow, Louise, is comforted as she surveys the tributes to her husband outside the stadium before the game against Millwall “His horrendous passing represents an unbelievable loss to his family and the football world. He leaves a huge, huge void and I can’t begin to try to think what his parents, his lovely wife, Louise, and his boys are going through at this time. I’m finding this very, very difficult to come to terms with. It’s unbelievable. I’m still struggling to get my head round it. “I knew his parents, his dad in particular, very well because when I became manager of Leeds United Gary was one of what was then known as the groundstaff boys. “My first meeting with Gary was in 1988 when I joined Leeds and I quickly realised he had a lovely personality. My first memory of him as a footballer relates to shortly after that when I watched him play left-back in a youth game. www.mightyleeds.co.uk - Matches – 29 November 2011, Nottingham Forest 0 Leeds United 4 2 “After working with him in training a few times I was soon telling him he could play in a few other roles, most notably wide left and left midfield. I think by the end at Leeds, I’d played him in nine or 10 outfield positions but, unlike some players, Gary never complained, never, ever showed any dissent. He just got on with things and, whatever job he was asked to do, invariably did it very well. “He was a terrific footballer, not as naturally gifted as some, but he worked so hard, listened to advice and made the very most of everything he had. As a man, I’ve rarely come across a better, more balanced or more genuine person. He had a lovely family and, as the years passed, I was pleased to be able to get to know his wife and his two sons, Tommy and Ed, one of whom is a gifted footballer and the other a talented boxer. Playing in our title-winning midfield at Leeds, Gary became particularly close to Gary McAllister and Gordon Strachan. They were his big, big mates and mentors and they stayed close friends until the end. “I’m proud that Gary attributed the extraordinary longevity of his playing career to things he learnt from being with us at Leeds. He felt the knowledge he acquired about fitness, diet and hydration during those early years at Elland Road helped him keep going for so long at Bolton before he finally decided to become a coach. “Unlike some Supporters stand in hushed tribute to Speed outside the stadium before the game against Millwall well-known players, Gary really believed in coach education and attended every course he could. When he took over as manager of Sheffield United he used the skills he’d learnt to help bring young players through to the first team and, later, he showed real commitment to the development of coaching in Wales. “In many ways his approach to coaching and management was exactly the same as his approach to playing: he was absolutely dedicated and always eager to learn as much as possible. You could see how well he was starting to apply that knowledge in his job with Wales.” Speed helped Leeds win the Second Division title in 1990 and the championship two years later. He joined Everton in 1996 and later played for Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United. He went on to manage the Blades before taking change of Wales, for whom he appeared 85 times as a player. James Brown from the Sabotage Times website: “If ever there was a player you could point to as a role model it was Gary Speed. Maybe one of those kids I train, or the boys they play against, or any other kid running over muddy parks all over the country this morning will become as great a footballer and sportsman as Gary Speed. That’s what you hope for, but they’ll have to go some way to achieve that. www.mightyleeds.co.uk - Matches – 29 November 2011, Nottingham Forest 0 Leeds United 4 3 “Last night I was stood in the Leeds United manager’s office at Elland Road with Simon Grayson and my two closest Leeds United supporting friends. One of them is Gary’s friend and agent. All four of us have known Gary Speed to differing degrees. None of us could have predicted that 12 hours later Gary would be found dead at home by his wife, Louise. The manager’s area, reception, and players’ lounge at Elland Road are covered with pictures of the great players who made their names under Don Revie, Howard Wilkinson and David O’Leary. It wasn’t always that way, when Howard Wilkinson, arrived at the club at the end of the 1980s he insisted they take down the images of the Revie legends who were proving too great a team for subsequent groups of players to measure themselves against. “It was Wilkinson’s aim to create a new generation of players who would create a name for themselves. Gary Speed was a vital, vibrant part of the success Wilkinson steered the club to.