Tributes Continue For Wales Boss Speed
Tributes from all parts of sport have been pouring in for Wales manager Gary Speed, who was found dead in his home on Sunday morning, aged 42.
Police confirmed the body was discovered at 0708 GMT at his home in Huntington, Chester, and added there were no suspicious circumstances.
Sources said that he had been found hanged.
The 42-year-old former midfielder won 85 international caps and had been national team boss for 10 games.
Speed rose through the ranks at Leeds and played a key role in winning the First Division title in 1992 – the season before it was rebranded the Premier League.
The midfielder went on to captain Everton, Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United.
After retiring as a player in May last year, Speed went into management at the Sheffield club, and was appointed manager of Wales in December 2010.
Speed enjoyed success at a rejuvenated Wales team, whose 4-1 win over Norway on 12th November represented a third successive win for the team – his fifth in 10 games as manager.
There was a minute’s silence, which spontaneously turned to applause from fans, before Welsh club Swansea played Aston Villa on Sunday at the Liberty Stadium.
Villa keeper and close friend of Speed, Shay Given, was in tears before the game, while Liverpool’s Craig Bellamy – who played alongside Speed and Given at Newcastle was withdrawn from Liverpool’s squad for yesterday’s game with Manchester City.
