Gary Speed

Gary Andrew Speed (8 September 1969 – 27 November 2011) was a Welsh professional footballer and manager.

As manager of Wales, Speed is often credited as being the catalyst for the change in fortunes of the national team and as setting the pathway to future successes.

Having played for the Leeds United youth team, he began his professional career with the club in 1988.

Speed began his career with Leeds United as a trainee when he left school in June 1988, and was Peter Swan's boot boy, before he signed a professional contract on 13 June 1988.

Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson first noticed Speed in a youth team game while the player was playing in a left back position.

Under Wilkinson, he made his first team debut aged 19 in a goalless draw against Oldham Athletic in the Football League Second Division.

He would go on to play in nine out of the ten outfield positions, although he was predominantly a left-sided player.

He was the most capped outfield player for Wales and the second overall with 85 caps between 1990 and 2004 until being overtaken by Chris Gunter in 2018, playing mainly as a left-sided attacking midfielder.

The match had seemed to be going to extra time, but Speed's 90th-minute winning goal kept Leeds from needing a replay to overcome their lower-league opponents.

With Leeds, he won the English First Division championship in 1991–92, and later played for Everton, Newcastle United, Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield United.

He went on to play a key role, playing 41 of a possible 42 games and scoring seven goals, as Leeds won the Football League First Division championship title in 1992, as part of a midfield that also comprised Gordon Strachan, Gary McAllister and David Batty – former Leeds manager Eddie Gray considered it to be one of the greatest midfield line-ups in the modern era.

Wilkinson named Speed as the club's player of the season.

In September 1992, Speed was pivotal in Leeds' UEFA Champions League first-round tie against VfB Stuttgart.

Stuttgart had won 3–0 at home and looked to be going through already.

Speed helped Leeds to a 4–1 victory at Elland Road, scoring one of them with a "superb left-foot volley" which he later described as his best-ever goal.

Although Leeds went out of the tie on the away goals rule, the club was later reinstated, for Stuttgart had fielded an ineligible player.

Speed was selected in the PFA Team of the Year for the 1992–93 season.

On 4 October 1995, Speed scored the winning goal as Leeds beat second division side Notts County in the second round of the League Cup.

Speed featured in the 1996 Football League Cup Final defeat by Aston Villa.

Before transferring to Everton, Speed played in 312 games for Leeds United, scoring 57 goals.

A childhood Everton fan, Speed was signed by Joe Royle before the 1996–97 season, for a fee of £3.5 million.

He made his debut on 17 August 1996, scoring against Newcastle United.

In November of that year, Speed scored a hat-trick – the only one of his career – as Everton beat Southampton 7–1 at Goodison Park.

Speed finished the season with 11 goals, joint top-scorer with Duncan Ferguson.

Speed was also voted Everton Player of Year for his performances during his first season at the club.

Howard Kendall succeeded Royle as the manager at the start of the 1997–98 season, and nominated Speed as club captain.

However, by the turn of the year the relationship between Speed and Kendall had soured.

Speed played his last game for the club on 18 January 1998, scoring in a 3–1 win over Chelsea.

He did not travel for their next game, away to West Ham United, and was subsequently sold to Newcastle for £5.5 million.

The reasons underlying Speed's departure were never revealed.

He captained the Wales national football team until retiring from international football in 2004.

Speed was appointed manager of Sheffield United in 2010, but left the club after a few months in December 2010 to manage the Wales national team, remaining in this role until his death 11 months later.

Rarely troubled by injury or suspension, he held the record for the most appearances in the Premier League at 535, until it was surpassed by David James.

At the time of his death, only James and Ryan Giggs had played in more Premier League matches than Speed.

Including appearances in the Football League and cup competitions, he made 840 domestic appearances.

Speed was born in Mancot, Flintshire, Wales, although his parents Roger and Carol, sister Lesley and sons Thomas and Edward were all born in Chester.

He attended Hawarden High School.

He supported Everton as a youngster.

Whilst at school, he was employed as a paperboy and played for Flintshire Schoolboys, a local boys' team, and for Aston Park Rangers.

As a youngster, Speed excelled at cricket and football.