Gary Speed: Thanks for the memories

He was the loyal servant tasked with turning around the fortunes of a national team which had become synonymous with embarrassment as a footballing side.

A living legend for numerous clubs, and country, Gary Speed had the talent, belief, and determination to succeed wherever he went, and in his 12 months as manager of the Welsh national team, he instilled those virtues into a squad of young pretenders, and then some, and national pride began to be restored.

Looking back over his career as many have these past few days, it is a travesty that his only football trophy was the 1992 league title with Leeds United, but with over 500 appearances in the top flight of English football, the honour of being the most-capped outfield player for Wales, captain and manager of Wales, and enjoying the respect of fellow professionals across the game, and millions of fans around the world, there was never any bitterness from the Flintshire-born midfielder.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Speed on a number of occasions, in his playing days, and later as the manager of my country. Forever an icon to me, he played the game in the right spirit, and could only laugh the first time I interviewed him when I asked if he fancied joining my five-a-side team on a pay-to-play basis.

He never did accept my offer, but the laugh, as others who worked closely with him over the years will no doubt have said, was something I never forgot, and will never forget.

His humility and humour belied his status as a Premier League star. He was down to earth, one of the lads, the best friend we’d all love to have, and great to interview for a budding journalist.

I was in Cardiff when I received the news late on Sunday morning. Once the murmurings about a hoax had subsided, as expected most people were stunned, whether football fans or not, regardless of their allegiances to teams, with several, including myself, gathering at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff City Stadium, or Football Association of Wales headquarters to pay their respects, while Swansea City fans turned a minute silence into a minute of applause to recognise our fallen hero.

A true testament to his character, he was loved by almost everyone at home, and many more across Britain and beyond. Everyone has their own personal stories to tell from his playing days, and the fan tributes at all of his previous clubs across Britain prove that further.

For the country, and the wider football community, one of our brightest stars had gone, and perhaps those dreams of Wales reaching the final of a major tournament along with him, but football has no relevance right now, the hurt runs much deeper than that.

He was very much a family man, and admitted on several occasions that the one thing he held dearest in life was his wife and two children, and as part of our own extended family, we will forever hold Gary Speed close to our hearts, and his family will continue to receive the love and support they so will desperately need long after a coroner’s inquest.

Tributes have poured in across the last few days, and will continue to as supporters find the right words to express what his departure means to them, but words are never enough.

Whatever demons lurked beneath the exterior of the man seen by many in his final public appearance on BBC’s Football Focus on Saturday afternoon, we may never know why he chose to leave us with so much ahead of him.

Wherever you’ve gone, and for whatever reason, thanks for the memories, Gary, hedd perffaith hedd.