RIP to the man, though he was one of those footballers who never figured on my attention. That happens sometimes. I had no idea he was particularly well liked. On another note - found hanged..? Not suspicious..? More to that than meets the eye.
Surprisingly saddened watching the minutes silence/applause at the Swansea game and seeing Shay Given break down in tears. Shows how football is such a tight-knit community.
Rumours, and I must stress JUST rumours at this early stage that a tabloid was about to expose Gary as having an affair with another man. Don't shoot me down, just posting a rumour. RIP Gary.
So he committed suicide to prevent it coming out/not have to endure the consequences? Not sure if I buy it.
Knew it wouldn't be long before the rumours came out of the woodwork. People think what could be so bad as to make you do that, then they guess, then they post, then suddenly it's true. Whatever..his family are suffering and speculation, although human, doesn't help them.
Speed played the last season of the Old First Div, which was a seminal year for me in following football, and I suppose a classic championship dog-fight between Leeds and Man U. So he's kinda of my generation, and remember him emerging pretty much a complete midfielder (opposed to David Batty's more prosaic enforcing) and ever-present in his first full year, in what was to be a championship winning team.
Truly shocking. What goes through the mind of someone to perform the ultimate selfish act? I feel desperately sorry for his two young lads.
Well I don't know how you take it Greg, but suicide can be construed as the ultimate in selfish acts. My respect and admiration for Gary Speed is not in question. He was a special guy, but do you not think that doing what he did and leaving two young lads without a father was the worst most terrible option he had? God alone knows what must have been going through his mind. Very very sad.
I think FFD is referring to the fact that whatever was in his mind must have been so terrible. Anyway, I know Lambden is being 100% genuine but in the absence of any actual facts rumours like this tend to evolve from made up story to fact very quickly, just be careful about what we are believing.
Thanks Qwerty. Suicide is a very touchy subject but why should it not be discussed?. If we're talking about someone like Fred West then I would assume that most would agree it was the right outcome, but what demons compelled Gary Speed to leave his lads this type of legacy? in 'pure' terms it is a selfish act.
I don't think it's relevant right now whether anybody thinks it's a selfish act or not or why he felt compelled to take his own life. It's a time for grieving, nothing more. It's only been a one day since it happened, I mean come on guys, show some respect.
You might not think it's relevant right now but that's just your opinion. Respect has nothing to do with it. Have you ever had any contact with someone who's suffered the suicide of their parent? I am as upset as any poster about what has occured, but a little of me is also angry that in a moment of madness he did what he did. If that is upsetting to anyone on here,please accept my apologies. I'll now say no more on the subject.
What a tragic loss to his family, to football and, by all accounts, to the diminishing pool of genuinely nice people who are role models for the young. Having watched him on the BBC on Saturday it seems utterly incomprehensible that a depression could have overtaken him so profoundly within 24 hours that he felt compelled to end his life. The "authorities" need to get to the bottom of this case and see what lessons there are to be learned. Not just for the sake of his poor family but for the sake of a decent and compassionate society as a whole.
I am so not interested in the reasons as to why he felt the need to commit suicide, all i know he was a top, top professional, admired him as a player and looked to have turned Wales into a potential force for the future. To say this is a shock is a complete understatement. My heart felt sympathy to his parents, wife and children and to anyone who had the privilege to know him.
