Football Mourns The Death Of Gary Speed

Some bad news cast a somber pallor over today's football matches. Former EPL veteran and current Wales manager Gary Speed was found dead at his home in Cheshire. He leaves behind a wife and two children.

Some sites have been talking about the manner and circumstances around Speed's death. I'm not going to do that. The information is out there if you want it. All I'll say is that the police released a statement saying there were no suspicious circumstances around Speed's death, and that the family wished to have privacy at this time.

Speed was a Welsh football legend, winning 85 caps between 1990 and 2004. That's a record for outfield players for Wales. He was the captain of the team upon his retirement. His club career was remarkable as he scored in every EPL season until 2007. He played for Leeds, Everton, Newcastle, Bolton, and Sheffield United.

The death was announced shortly before today's EPL fixture between Swansea and Aston Villa. Swansea debated calling off the match, and Villa would not have objected. However, the match went ahead. A moment of silence eventually ended in of respectful chants of "There's only one Gary Speed." The two teams played to a 0-0 draw.

The Speed family have said that they will release a tribute at a later date. My thoughts and condolences to them at this difficult time.


RIP GARY SPEED 1969-2011
Photo: ryangiggs.cc