Six years ago......

[maidmarion]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_utd/default.stm

Hope this works........

 

[maidmarion]

It didn't....but it was the report that Gary Speed had been made our manager...only six years ago.

 

[maidmarion]

Sheffield United announce Gary Speed as new manager

Speed made 85 Wales appearances - a record for an outfield player.
Sheffield United have confirmed Gary Speed has been appointed their new manager on a three-year contract.

The 40-year-old ex-Wales international replaces Kevin Blackwell, who left the club after Saturday's 3-0 loss to QPR.

"I am delighted my first managerial role is with the Blades - I've enjoyed my two and a half years here," Speed told the club website.

"I thank the board for putting faith in me to take the club forward following on from Kevin Blackwell's hard work."

Chief executive Trevor Birch added: "He has exciting plans for the club and we will do everything in our power to back him."

Sam Ellis will remain in the assistant manager's position and Speed is expected to appoint a new first-team coach in the next few days.

His first match in charge will be the Blades' Championship fixture away at Middlesbrough.

Speed, who has completed his Uefa Pro Licence, retired from playing football last season to take up his role as first-team coach at Bramall Lane.

Sheffield United blocked Championship rivals Swansea City's approach for the former Premier League midfielder about their then vacant managerial role in July.





The South Yorkshire side currently lie 23rd in the Championship table following the defeat by QPR and an opening-day draw at Cardiff.

On Wednesday they were dumped out of the Carling Cup by League One side Hartlepool.

Speed enjoyed a distinguished stint in English football's top flight during an 18-year career with Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers.

There that's better

 

[Lord Eddard Muir]

Not to speak ill of the dead, but that was when the rot really started to set in. We absolutely lost the plot that season. I'd like to think that Speed could have steadied the ship if Wales hadn't come calling, but the football in his few games in charge was pretty poor and the likelihood is he would've been sacked sooner rather than later.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Not to speak ill of the dead, but that was when the rot really started to set in. We absolutely lost the plot that season. I'd like to think that Speed could have steadied the ship if Wales hadn't come calling, but the football in his few games in charge was pretty poor and the likelihood is he would've been sacked sooner rather than later.

We weren't great under him but I think we were outside the dropzone when he left. He was able to bring such quality as Andy Reid to the club and that might have lasted had he stayed instead, out went Reid, Ward, Yeates, Bartley and Britton. In came, Doyle, Collins, Mattock and Lowry.

 

[Tyler Durden]

One thing I'm absolutely certain of is that we would never have been relegated had we not sacked Kevin Blackwell when we did. We were doomed from that moment.

 

[grafikhaus]

Not to speak ill of the dead, but that was when the rot really started to set in. We absolutely lost the plot that season. I'd like to think that Speed could have steadied the ship if Wales hadn't come calling, but the football in his few games in charge was pretty poor and the likelihood is he would've been sacked sooner rather than later.

To this day, I don't understand how the Wales manager's job (back then) needed a full-time manager.

 

[BushBlade]

We weren't great under him but I think we were outside the dropzone when he left. He was able to bring such quality as Andy Reid to the club and that might have lasted had he stayed instead, out went Reid, Ward, Yeates, Bartley and Britton. In came, Doyle, Collins, Mattock and Lowry.

I think from memory Reid was his only signing.
He never stood a chance. If KM had doubts about the chubby goalkeeper he should have sacked him at the end of the previous season and given Speed a close season to bring some players in. As he took the decision to let Blackwell spend the money he should have stood by it and not sacked him in a fit of pique.

Edit; Mattock and Lowry were the season before, it was Nosworthy and Bartley.