Just been announced on the HCAFC Facebook Page 'Ahead of kick-off on Saturday there will be a period of applause in memory of Gary Speed. Please join us as we remember a fine player of his era and a wonderful ambassador for the game of football.'
Good stuff. He may not have played for us but it's still a very sad thing that's happened and as the club have said he was one of the best players of recent times who was a respected figure in the game. Puts the whole 'what abuse will NP get?' thing into perspective.
I'm a bit surprised, it's obviously a very sad story, but I thought that we'd leave this to the Welsh clubs and the clubs he actually played for.
I think its more that he touched or worked with a lot of people from across a lot of clubs really OLM. If it raises more awareness of depression, even if he didnt have it, its no bad thing.
Seems unnecessary to me and may lose the hostile atmosphere we should be aiming for **** pearsons return.
Having done it at Southampton tuesday i have no real issues doing it again. Gary Speed was a quality act both on and off the pitch. Its such a sad sad situation and one which puts football in general into true perspective. As for the NP thing that can wait until 3pm-ko time. The only chant that i want to hear is Pearson Pearson whats the score ? Thats the only one that matters. UTT with Barmbys Army Barmbys Army.
It's a good thing in my book. Maybe they think it will change the mood as well and take the sting out of the Leicester/Pearson situation. Or is that just me being cynical. Yes it is, stop it!
If Liverpool dont mind singing theres only one gary speed about a former Everton player we should have no issues with it. An excellent role model on and off the pitch and anything that puts serious mental health issues in the public domain has to be a good thing even if its stemmed from an awful event
Having spent the last 3 years 6 months meeting many people with cancer who have been fighting to live, and a number of those people have died including a 14 year old girl with brain cancer there is no way am I going to clap someone who killed himself .. If others do then that's fine by me of course . It's just not something I can do .
Someone committing suicide isn't a great role model for anyone, and yes, beofre someone lashes out at me for having an opinion, i feel sorry for his wife and son. Also you don't hear any national sympathy for the bloke who slit his own throat on a live webcam on Skype, do you? (See news btw if you haven't heard about it). I think this would be better left for the teams he played for. I never classed him as a "legend". Also i thought we'd done all this at Southampton.
I completley agree with you and Golaccio. Anyone remember having a minutes applause or silence for Pete Taylor? Oh right we didnt have one, despite the fact he fought for his country in N.Ireland, Bosnia, Sierra Leone, Iraq (twice) and Afghanistan before been binned by the forces after losing his foot on an IED. His wife left him, he got no support from the state and hit a spiral of depression, which no-one, including me (a very close friend of his) saw, before he killed himself. A 100% City fan, well before the glory days. He was a true hero. if clubs he played for want to honor him, so be it, however many true heroes die unhonored
I also think it's unnecessary to force clubs he didn't play for to pay their tributes. If they want to make that effort, it should be left up to them. That would make it more special if done and fairer if not.
I wont be applauding him, why applaud someone who can do a selfish act like take their own life. Lets applaud all those soldiers that are being killed in Afghanistan (oh no we cant cos their not front page media stories). The guy never touched me or influenced my life so good luck to those who do but leave me out of it.
i have no problem with the round of applause, but at soton there where chants of theres only one gary speed, and speedo... just didnt seem right and seemed an attempt to get ourselves mentioned in the papers as been great fans, applause out of respect for a good footballer, but dont jump on a bandwagon we have no place on.