Gary Speed

[yanfan]

RIP--One of the great midfielders--my thoughts go to his family.

[nse7entea]

Really shocking.

Awesome, solid player, obviously Leeds were on TV a lot back then and he was incredibly consistent right at the top of the game and a real driving force behind what made them good...always seemed very stable, thoughtful and 'together' off the pitch.

One of the few Leeds players who as a Town fan you could respect, both whilst he was with them and with what he's done since.

He was a good one. Real shame.

[bro600]

There were certain things about Leeds that i could never bring myself to hate..
The way they played football early 70's was one and Gary Speed was also one...
RIP


WHY?

[Lard Buttie]

Shocking, shocking news.

As has been said earlier made more shocking by the fact he appeared in good spirits on Football Focus yesterday - looking forward to Wales' WC qualifying games.

I dont normally get to emotional about these sort of incidents but this news has floored me.

What can possibly have effected him so much that he felt the need to take his own life? Depression?

Thought with his family and all other football fans affected by this.

[townhopper]

Shocking News, Was a real talent RIP,

[Deleted]

It's not official that he took his own life is it??? I'm actually devastated. I grew up watching Speed and he was a true rolemodel, not like the silly dickheads embracing the Premiership nowadays

[OperationPig]

I am shocked and stunned, I almost feel sick, thought this was some sick wind up because I watched FF yesterday and he seemed okay but what do we know about his private life?

Had two sons didn't he? OMG how awful.

Great Player. RIP.

[bro600]

Initial reports claim that the former Leeds, Everton and Newcastle star was found hanged at his home, according to a statement from Cheshire Police.
"At 7.08am this morning, Sunday 27 November, police were informed of an incident at Aldford Road, Huntington. Officers went to the scene where a 42-year-old man was found dead. There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and next of kin have been informed," the statement said.

[stevvy]

Nov 27, 2011 14:08:00 GMT 1 OperationPig said:

thought this was some sick wind up because I watched FF yesterday and he seemed okay

Agree completely. Saw him yesterday, wouldn't know there was anything wrong. Robbie Savage tweeted earlier that Speed was laughing on the phone with him yesterday, talking about football, Strictly, etc. I don't think anyone other than Speed himself saw this coming unfortunately.

[Deleted]

Says it all when a Leeds legend gets a reaction like this on a Huddersfield forum. Top pro and seemed a top bloke very sad day for football. Thoughts go out to his family.

[garyroberts'leftfoot]

Crazy.

Why? Is all I can think.

It is so out of the blue,

Robbie Savage has tweeted, 'Gary Speed was 'upbeat on phone yesterday, we were laughing together... he was a great teammate and a great friend'

So wierd.

[Sapphire]

Nov 27, 2011 14:14:19 GMT 1 @fad said:

Says it all when a Leeds legend gets a reaction like this on a Huddersfield forum. Top pro and seemed a top bloke very sad day for football. Thoughts go out to his family.

I am sure EVERYONE cares not a jot about football rivalry at this moment.

I cant think there would be anyone who didnt admire the man

[garyroberts'leftfoot]

Dan Walker (football focus presenter) has put: 'Staggered by the news of Gary Speed's death. Was with him for much of yesterday. I genuinely cannot believe it. Thoughts with his family.'

It really is shocking that he took his own life.

[rothwellterrier]

Wow. What a total shock.

R.I.P.

[Horney Barry]

Horrible news.

Poor kids.

RIP

[Deleted]

Terribly sad news. Poor Gary. Rest in Peace.

[fredcarno]

What a sad loss of a young and seemingly thoroughly decent and pleasant guy. RIP Gary and condolences to his family and 2 sons especially.

[panasonicgeese]

Stunned. R.I.P

[offtopic]

Weird that he did football focus. You'd have thought if things were so bad that he would have not turned up to do that yesterday. Makes you wonder if something has gone on inbetween leaving football focus and taking his life

[johnhtfc]

Very sad news rip

[thewrongboy]

Although it feels genuinely wrong to hypothesise at this stage, it may well come out that Gary Speed suffered from long term and serious depression.

In Germany, this is a topic which is now treated with the gravity it deserves.

Robert Enke, the national team's goal keeper committed suicide by lying on the rails in front of an oncoming train before the World Cup and last week here in Cologne, before a game, the referee was found in a bathtub in his hotel room, having cut his veins open.

I'm also reminded of poor Justin Faschanu.

I could be way off the mark here but maybe it's time for football to have a little look at itself.

[buckers]

R.I.P thats all I can manage in complete shock.

[clayton west blue]

RIP gary from a Town and Everton fan you never gave less than 100% a true pro

[terriers84]

RIP gary speed.sad sad day

[Sapphire]

Incredible piece tweeted by Stan Collymore only yesterday

It's 4:48am in the morning(Sat 26th Nov 2011),and i'm wide awake.

I decided to tweet my own personal experience of my latest bout of Depression yesterday,and firstly wanted to thank the hundreds of messages from friends,journalists,mental health workers,doctors,and sufferers,as well as well wishers.It's very humbling to read the stories of fellow sufferers,links to blogs,and general experiences of this awful illness.

I want to elaborate on what Depression is for me,as the illness has so many facets,and varies from bout to bout ,that it can be hard to explain to a fellow sufferer,never mind someone fortunate enough to have never been afflicted!


I've spent so much time with Depression sufferers who have anxiety,irrational fear,too much sleep,not enough,that it's hard to pinpoint one "thing" that Depression is or isn't.All i know is that depending on the severity of the bout,it can be made of mainly one or all of these things,so i'll explain this latest bout,and what it's effect is.

I keep myself in really good nick,i run 10k every week day,and only not go to the gym or exercise at weekends,when i commentate on football for talkSPORT.The running i find really has helped massively,as i'm sure you guys that suffer who exercise find,the tangible release of calm,and "being on top of things" powers your internal dynamo,and keeps the black dog from the door.


Around 10 days ago however,i started to feel anxiety,which grew into irrational fear,which in turn turned into insomnia for 3 days(little sleep,and an incredibly active,negative mind),that in turn over last weekend(Swansea v Man United) into Hypersomnia,whereby my energy levels dipped to zero,and my sleep went from 8 to 18 hours overnight.


So i went from last Saturday at the gym,running 10k as i normally do,looking forward to working,to Tuesday morning being unable to lift my head from the pillow, feeling like my body had been drained of any life,my brain "full" and foggy,and a body that felt like it was carrying an anvil around.

So fit and healthy one day,mind,body and soul withering and dying the next.This to me is the most frightening of experiences,and one fellow suffers i'm sure will agree is the "thud" that sets the Depression rolling.

Once it hits,then cause and effect start to kick in.I sleep 18 hours a day,so i don't see sunlight over sometime a period of a week(my worst ever bout,i spent a month in bed),which i'm sure a doctor then would tell me makes the body shut down even further.My personal world grows smaller,i detach from friends and family,partly out of self preservation,partly not wanting them to see the man bounding around days ago,now looks visibly older,weaker and pathetic.


I eat less,my personal space gets smaller,none of the vain grooming of days before,as bathing,washing,and even going to the loo seem almost impossible.So its me,pyjamas,bed and increasingly despairing thoughts of how long this one will last,a tired,desperately tired but wildly active mind burns through its own blue touch paper until the paper ends,and there is simply nothing left.


That's the point when the practicality sets in,and not a nice one(and incredible to think when you finally get well).

Suicidal thoughts.


Thankfully i've not got to that part yet,and in my last 10 years only once or twice has this practical reality entered my head,and practicality its is,unpalatable the thought may be to many.

Why a practicality? Well,if your mind is empty,your brain ceases to function,your body is pinned to the bed,the future is a dark room,with no light,and this is your reality,it takes a massive leap of faith to know that this time next week,life could be running again,smiling,my world big and my brain back as it should be.So what do some do? They don't take the leap of faith,they address a practical problem with a practical solution to them,and that is taking their own life.And sadly,too many take that route out of this hell.


I'm typing and my brain is full,cloudy and detached but i know i need to elaborate on what i'm going through because there are so many going through this that need to know it's an illness,just an illness.Not bad,mad,crazy or weak,just ill,and that with this particular illness,for its sufferers,for family and friends who are there but feel they can't help,you can!

Patience,time,kindness and support.That's all we need.No "pull your socks up",no "get out of bed you lazy git",just acknowledge the feedback the sufferer gives,get them to go to the GP asap,and help them do the little things bit by bit.

That may seem simple but in my experience,and currently as we speak,having a bath,walking for 5 minutes in the fresh air,making a meal,all things that days before were the norm,seem alien,so friends and family can help ,just by being non judgemental,and helping in the background to get the sufferer literally back on their feet.

I hope that if you are suffering,or know someone that does,that a little insight into someone elses experiences might resonate with one or two and give them the comfort of knowing that there are millions out there like us that deal with this reality in our lives.

We contribute like everyone else,so treat us like everyone else.

You are not alone,there are millions of us.

[thewrongboy]

Very moving... very.

[amoeba]

RIP.

Terrible news always seemed a genuinely sound fella.

[sac63]

This is very sad news and my thoughts are with his family , who i hope ( if there is any truth in the rumour , he hung himself ) did not witness this as i'm sure it would stay in the memory for a very long time

[Tim Nice But Dim]

Great footballer and a great man. Very sad.

[Deleted]

Only just heard this I'm truly shocked. Truly. RIP Gary