Gary Speed

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R.I.P.

A real big loss to football.

Only had a short spell in management but he's largely responsible for the current success Wales are enjoying. He got the ball rolling for them.
 
Even though he was in his twilight years when he joined us as a player, he still looked class and was still a fairly big name. There was just something likeable about the bloke, don't think I ever heard anyone say anything remotely bad about him. As a manager, I remember the crowd applauding after we lost a game comprehensively, because despite the scoreline, we had actually played some good, passing, football, and the crowd at BDTBL could see what he was trying to do.

RIP Speedy
 
Nade said:
Did he?
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Yeah, their ranking rose significantly under his management. Obviously a lot of it is down to Bale and Ramsey but he played a large part.
If he stuck with us I doubt we would have gone down but I can see why he left, it was his dream job I imagine.
 
Such a likeable bloke & what some would say a role model professional.

I remember the day the sad news was broken and feeling compelled to go down to the Lane that evening and leave my Blade`s shirt which I fastened to that little shrine in the South stand car park. Seeing others arrive to pay their respects was a special moment.
 
The best chant he ever got was Gary Speeds red and white army away at Doncaster when Blackwell was manager and I was so thankful for him replacing that dick ,but I would have been with anyone. Gary Sinclairs finest moment was his tribute the week after his death on the big screen at the Lane when all the players warming up before kick off stopped what they were doing and watched ,Pink Floyds Wish you were here was very touching.I remember the news broke on a Sunday morning and I was coaching in quite a big game at the time ,all the players were shocked when we found out at half time.
 
sitwell said:
The best chant he ever got was Gary Speeds red and white army away at Doncaster when Blackwell was manager and I was so thankful for him replacing that dick ,but I would have been with anyone. Gary Sinclairs finest moment was his tribute the week after his death on the big screen at the Lane when all the players warming up before kick off stopped what they were doing and watched ,Pink Floyds Wish you were here was very touching.I remember the news broke on a Sunday morning and I was coaching in quite a big game at the time ,all the players were shocked when we found out at half time.
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If I remember rightly, we were playing Torquay in the cup. The Kop was shut, and so shirts/flags were left there (including a couple from the visitors).

Ched scored (obviously), and he took his shirt of with an RIP Speedo message, and the ref didn't book him. This may be me adding some fairytale gloss to the memory bank, but didn't the Torquay captain run up to the ref to tell him not to book Ched?
 
BeatleBlade said:
Yeah, their ranking rose significantly under his management. Obviously a lot of it is down to Bale and Ramsey but he played a large part.
If he stuck with us I doubt we would have gone down but I can see why he left, it was his dream job I imagine.
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Not only was there an improvement in results and ranking, he got them playing in a different way and with unity and confidence, which they've carried over to the present day. Made Ramsey captain too which was a good move.
 
billyblademan said:
If I remember rightly, we were playing Torquay in the cup. The Kop was shut, and so shirts/flags were left there (including a couple from the visitors).

Ched scored (obviously), and he took his shirt of with an RIP Speedo message, and the ref didn't book him. This may be me adding some fairytale gloss to the memory bank, but didn't the Torquay captain run up to the ref to tell him not to book Ched?
Click to expand...

I seem to think that happened, but as you say, was it just us two looking back with rose tinted glasses?
 
billyblademan said:
If I remember rightly, we were playing Torquay in the cup. The Kop was shut, and so shirts/flags were left there (including a couple from the visitors).

Ched scored (obviously), and he took his shirt of with an RIP Speedo message, and the ref didn't book him. This may be me adding some fairytale gloss to the memory bank, but didn't the Torquay captain run up to the ref to tell him not to book Ched?
Click to expand...
It was definitely Torquay ,I always remember a couple of players sitting on the turf and looking quite tearful at the tribute. Always had a soft spot for Torquay since this ,Div 4 , Helen Chamberlain and Fawlty Towers :)
 
Strange. He was on TV on the Saturday ( he hung himself early hours of Sunday morning), as one of two expert commentators and when it shows a clip from that interview he presented with what appeared to be a smiling depression. He was smiling but his eyes looked dead, sort of incongruent. Obviously don't know whether he was clinically depressed or not as the Coroner didn't put it into the public domain.

RIP
 
cahill said:
Strange. He was on TV on the Saturday ( he hung himself early hours of Sunday morning), as one of two expert commentators and when it shows a clip from that interview he presented with what appeared to be a smiling depression. He was smiling but his eyes looked dead, sort of incongruent. Obviously don't know whether he was clinically depressed or not as the Coroner didn't put it into the public domain.

RIP
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His wife and mother both said he was always a 'half glass empty' type of person. He should have joined this forum he would have had loads of company.
 



I watched that the day before interview and saw nothing to make me think anything was out of the order and that's just it. You can't see what's troubling someone until it's too late. The interview that tore me up was Brinn Law's text to Gary Speed that had no reply. That did it for me.

Some lovely moving comments above fellow Blades.
 
sitwell said:
His wife and mother both said he was always a 'half glass empty' type of person. He should have joined this forum he would have had loads of company.
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Sitwell , i dont know if your last line was a joke or being serious . Either way it is a good valid point.

I am sure there are many on this forum who have , or do suffer from depression , and although this forum swings from positives to negative posts , it is a good outlet for people , to discuss issues , on a common denominator for all of us - SUFC.

With regards Gary Speed , it is still very sad for everyone , especially his family ( very young family ) , who like many , do not understand why it ended the way it did . All of us need to try and understand more on mental illness and depression , which is under funded by the NHS . We all understand a broken leg , but not something we cannot always see.

If it got the goverment votes , more funding. and understanding would be available

Apologies its off piste , re football

UTB.
 
I recall watching Alan Shearer, a close friend of Speed's, talking about his suicide. He couldn't get his head around what had happened. Shearer commented that all Speed had to do was call him, no matter what was troubling him, he'd be there for his mate...but it was all in the past tense and you could see how shocked and devastated Shearer was. Everything pales in comparison when we learn of someone's death. Sadly, Gary was at that point of no return and unfortunately the symptoms of depression are far more common than we might care to admit.
 
Grappler said:
As a manager, I remember the crowd applauding after we lost a game comprehensively, because despite the scoreline, we had actually played some good, passing, football, and the crowd at BDTBL could see what he was trying to do.

RIP Speedy
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Pretty sure this was against Scunthorpe - we played them off the park and lost 3 or 4 nil
 
On another tack I felt seriously let down by Speed when he made the choice to leave us for Wales
It contributed greatly to our demise and I find it hard to join the love in
It left us in a dangerous position having to rebuild for a third time, which we failed to do

His death was undoubtedly tragic , but I cant forgive his choice at that time which did us great harm as a club
 
blade too long said:
On another tack I felt seriously let down by Speed when he made the choice to leave us for Wales
It contributed greatly to our demise and I find it hard to join the love in
It left us in a dangerous position having to rebuild for a third time, which we failed to do

His death was undoubtedly tragic , but I cant forgive his choice at that time which did us great harm as a club
Click to expand...
I wondered at the time if it had spared the board from a tricky decision as I'm not convinced he'd have lasted much longer
 
blade too long said:
On another tack I felt seriously let down by Speed when he made the choice to leave us for Wales
It contributed greatly to our demise and I find it hard to join the love in
It left us in a dangerous position having to rebuild for a third time, which we failed to do

His death was undoubtedly tragic , but I cant forgive his choice at that time which did us great harm as a club
Click to expand...

To be fair to him , he is the only blades manager , i can remember , who left the club to better himself , ( in this case ,managing his country .)

The issue and route cause , is SUFC , did not appoint a manager of the right calibre , to carry on the foundations he started to build . Any Blame for demise , IMO , lays at the door of the club.

UTB
 
Lord Bos of Eckington. said:
To be fair to him , he is the only blades manager , i can remember , who left the club to better himself , ( in this case ,managing his country .)

The issue and route cause , is SUFC , did not appoint a manager of the right calibre , to carry on the foundations he started to build . Any Blame for demise , IMO , lays at the door of the club.

UTB
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no club takes a manager on for a 3 month spell I cant see the club has any blame here
the distraction meant he lost his last 2 games with us at a time wed started to look capable

It was wholly his fault ,
mccabe panicked in getting shot of Blackwell , under pressure from some fans
we needed to keep a new course planned by Speed

The captain left the ship with no rudder
finding a capable manager in December , really the clubs fault
 
Lord Bos of Eckington. said:
To be fair to him , he is the only blades manager , i can remember , who left the club to better himself , ( in this case ,managing his country .)

The issue and route cause , is SUFC , did not appoint a manager of the right calibre , to carry on the foundations he started to build . Any Blame for demise , IMO , lays at the door of the club.

UTB
Click to expand...

Howard Kendall left us in Division 1 to go and manage Premier League Everton again. That probably counts as bettering himself.
 
We all miss U Speedo one of Wales finest players n glad U finished ur playing career with us still can't believe it'll be 4 years in November as well since U passed one of my favourites as a young lad
RIP Speedo fly safe up there
 
blade too long said:
no club takes a manager on for a 3 month spell I cant see the club has any blame here
the distraction meant he lost his last 2 games with us at a time wed started to look capable

It was wholly his fault ,
mccabe panicked in getting shot of Blackwell , under pressure from some fans
we needed to keep a new course planned by Speed

The captain left the ship with no rudder
finding a capable manager in December , really the clubs fault
Click to expand...

Appalling though he was, I can't condone Blackwell being shot. I think a public sacking on the pitch followed by tarring and feathering then running out of town on horseback, would have been perfectly adequate.

Anyway, what's the old semi-professional, non-league, reserve goalie up to these days?

Unemployable, you say? Oh dear.....how sad.
 



I'm sure I remember Gary Speed scoring for us v Watford? After 40 seconds. This must be the quickest goal in recent times.
 
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