Gary Speed in apparent suicide just hours after tv appearance

At midday on Saturday the Wales manager Gary Speed was live on the BBC’s Football Focus programme discussing his future plans for the side. He was on “great form” according to those there and left the studio after making tentative plans to appear again on the show before Christmas. This morning, a little over 18 hours later, the 42-year-old was found hanged at his home in Cheshire having apparently committed suicide.

Last night mystery surrounded his death, with friends and figures in the football world at a loss to explain why Speed, a successful young manager and former Premier League player, would apparently take his own life.

Speed’s death came a day after the former Liverpool footballer Stan Collymore spoke candidly about his battle with depression. Online speculation suggested that Speed had perhaps suffered from the illness. Whether he did was not certain last night.

There was also suggestion that Speed, a former Leeds, Everton, Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers player, had recently learned that a tabloid newspaper was to print a story about his private life.

The Sun newspaper denied online accusations.

A message on the paper’s official Twitter account read: “No truth in this story. The Sun was not investigating Gary Speed in any way.”

Police were called to Speed’s home in Huntington, Chester, shortly after 7am today. Officers discovered his body and a statement was released indicating that there were “no suspicious circumstances”.

His wife, Louise, and two children, Edward, 14, and Thomas, 13, were believed to be with family at the remote country house.

Police said that the family intend to make a public statement “at a later date”.

Last week Speed travelled to Brussels to attend a fixtures meeting for Wales’s World Cup campaign.

His Saturday had started with a trip to Salford, to the BBC’s new studios, to appear as a guest on Football Focus alongside his former Leeds United team mate Gary McAllister.

Dan Walker, the show’s presenter, said that Speed gave no outwardly sign of any personal turmoil. Instead he spoke about golf and his two sons and even made tentative arrangements to appear on the show next month.

Mr Walker said: “He was on great form, cracking jokes and asking about my family and kids. He was talking passionately about the future. There was absolutely no indication at all.

“He gave me the impression that he was really looking forward to his kids growing up to be really good footballers and Wales qualifying for the World Cup.”

After the show ended, at 1pm, he met up with Match of the Day pundits Alan Shearer, whom Speed had played alongside at Newcastle United, and Mark Lawrenson to watch the early Premier League game between Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers.

Then, just before 3pm, he made the short journey to Old Trafford to watch his former team Newcastle take on Manchester United.

The match finished shortly before 5pm and it is thought Speed travelled back to his home in Chester where, little more than 12 hours later, he was found hanged.

At some point in the day Speed is thought to have spoken to his former Wales team mate Robbie Savage.

Savage, who is currently appearing on Strictly Come Dancing, wrote on Twitter: “He was upbeat on phone yesterday we were laughing together, talking football and dancing he was a great teammate and a great friend

“He come to watch strictly 3/4 weeks ago I high fived him in the front row he loved the show ,he loved life he loved his family ! Devastated”

Other tributes were paid from the world of football.

Michael Owen, the Manchester United striker, lived close to Speed in Cheshire. He wrote: “Just cannot believe the news regarding Gary Speed. We waved at each other a couple of days ago dropping our kids off at school. I'm numb.

“He has died aged 42. So sad. He lived local to me and we knew his family. He leaves behind 2 sons. Tragic.”

The Prime Minister David Cameron also released a tribute via a Downing Street spokesman.

It said: "The Prime Minister was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Gary Speed, who was greatly respected by football fans across the country both as a player and manager.

"The Prime Minister's thoughts are with his family and friends on this very sad day for fans everywhere, especially in Wales."

The Football Association of Wales’s chief executive Jonathan Ford said: “I, and all of the football family of Wales, am devastated by the news of Gary’s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family at this difficult time.”

Phil Pritchard, the association’s president, added: “I am completely shocked by this terrible news and my thoughts are with his family. We will do whatever we can as an association to help them in this difficult time.”

Source: The Telegraph