RIP Gary Speed

[Bruce Rioja]

I spent a lot of yesterday evening reliving the big moments of Gary's BWFC career. However, the one I remember most (as it was my first time at the Reebok) was the 2-1 agaisnt Fulham in 2007 when Gary scored our first goal from the spot. How good were those days, when a 2-1 win at home against Fulham wasn't considered a good win?

Link to Tango's match report if you're interested in jogging your memory....

http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/bolton-2-fulham-1

How about the game where City hit the woodwork about 6 times and we won it with a last minute penalty from Speed? Brilliant that.

Won me a fiver off of my Citeh mate, did that. The 4ucker couldn't believe that I was prepared to take it off him - but I did

[davroduk]

I know it wont make any difference to the sad events, but a mate at work was with Kevin Nolan when the news came out.
Nolan was telling him (through the tears) that Speedo and his missus had been having some very serious blazing rows recently.
Maybe he just couldnt carry on.
Like I said wont bring him back but, lets not speculate that he must have had some dark secret to hide.
Sounds like the blazing rows with his wife tipped him over the edge.

[Peter Thompson]

RIP Gary Speed

I'm absolutely shocked & stunned.....why would such a decent man who appeared to have everything going for him take his own life - so sad

[keveh]

All of Gary Speeds goals:

http://www.bwfc.co.uk/page/General/0,,1 ... 90,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[adamworthy2002]

All of Gary Speeds goals:

http://www.bwfc.co.uk/page/General/0,,1 ... 90,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We seemed to get a lot of penalties back then

[scotty]

I spent a lot of yesterday evening reliving the big moments of Gary's BWFC career. However, the one I remember most (as it was my first time at the Reebok) was the 2-1 agaisnt Fulham in 2007 when Gary scored our first goal from the spot. How good were those days, when a 2-1 win at home against Fulham wasn't considered a good win?

Link to Tango's match report if you're interested in jogging your memory....

http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/bolton-2-fulham-1

How about the game where City hit the woodwork about 6 times and we won it with a last minute penalty from Speed? Brilliant that.

I remember that game like it was yesterday, mainly because i was in the City end. We got battered but it was a nailed on penalty. Not for one second did i think that Speed would miss that penalty.

[P.O.S.]

All of Gary Speeds goals:

http://www.bwfc.co.uk/page/General/0,,1 ... 90,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We seemed to get a lot of penalties back then

What an absolute travesty that free kick against Liverpool was, Id totally forgotten about that!

[malcd1]

I spent a lot of yesterday evening reliving the big moments of Gary's BWFC career. However, the one I remember most (as it was my first time at the Reebok) was the 2-1 agaisnt Fulham in 2007 when Gary scored our first goal from the spot. How good were those days, when a 2-1 win at home against Fulham wasn't considered a good win?

Link to Tango's match report if you're interested in jogging your memory....

http://www.the-wanderer.co.uk/bolton/bolton-2-fulham-1

How about the game where City hit the woodwork about 6 times and we won it with a last minute penalty from Speed? Brilliant that.

I remember that game like it was yesterday, mainly because i was in the City end. We got battered but it was a nailed on penalty. Not for one second did i think that Speed would miss that penalty.

I was in a private box with 11 City fans. We were absolutely battered as POS said.

I remember trying to be slightly embarrassed when inside I was laughing my head off.

[officer_dibble]

The thing about Gary Speed was you never came home saying he had a bad match. If you appreciated honest hard working football he was your ideal player. One of our finest ever signings.

[TKIZ!]

Just speechless about it. Such a consummate professional and well loved at every club he played for.

[Montreal Wanderer]

I know it wont make any difference to the sad events, but a mate at work was with Kevin Nolan when the news came out.
Nolan was telling him (through the tears) that Speedo and his missus had been having some very serious blazing rows recently.
Maybe he just couldnt carry on.
Like I said wont bring him back but, lets not speculate that he must have had some dark secret to hide.
Sounds like the blazing rows with his wife tipped him over the edge.

Depression, whatever the cause, is a physical illness - not simply a mental disorder. As a society it is not something we fully understand or even detect early enough in many cases.

[adamworthy2002]

All of Gary Speeds goals:

http://www.bwfc.co.uk/page/General/0,,1 ... 90,00.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We seemed to get a lot of penalties back then

What an absolute travesty that free kick against Liverpool was, Id totally forgotten about that!

We don't seem to get luck like that anymore

[officer_dibble]

Wrong thread...I don't normally care about tangents but I think this should be Speed tributes only, no tittle tattle.

Might swing past Elland Road tomorrow and have a look at the tributes. The picture of him in the 'Top Man' shirt seems like appropriate sponsorship for once.

[CrazyHorse]

I'm amazed how much his death has shocked the world. I mean I expected us and his other clubs the Welsh fans to be upset but it seems all walks of life are moved by the sad news.

[boltonboris]

All manner of goals in that compilation too. Headers, overheads, free kicks, penalties, left foot, right foot.. Had it all

[Gooner Girl]

I'm amazed how much his death has shocked the world. I mean I expected us and his other clubs the Welsh fans to be upset but it seems all walks of life are moved by the sad news.

Theres several pages on my Gooner forum about his death too. Speaking as someone whose club he never played for, maybe its just because as i was growing up and watching football all through the 90's he was always there, playing for a premiership club, rarely injured and out of the limelight. Didn't he have some kind of premier league appearence record at some point?

[boltonboris]

He was the first player to break 500 Prem games with us. Think he finished on 535 or something.

[Gooner Girl]

He was the first player to break 500 Prem games with us. Think he finished on 535 or something.

Thats it. Knew it was something like that. The longevity of his career maybe, has meant people feel they 'knew' him well?!

[malcd1]

I'm amazed how much his death has shocked the world. I mean I expected us and his other clubs the Welsh fans to be upset but it seems all walks of life are moved by the sad news.

Theres several pages on my Gooner forum about his death too. Speaking as someone whose club he never played for, maybe its just because as i was growing up and watching football all through the 90's he was always there, playing for a premiership club, rarely injured and out of the limelight. Didn't he have some kind of premier league appearence record at some point?

He did but it has been surpassed by both David James and Ryan Giggs (I think).

A great professional and top bloke from what everyone has said.

[Verbal]

It occurred to me yesterday that, having got into football mid nineties, I haven't actually known a time when Gary Speed wasn't involved in football. Think that may be part of theshock. He was part of the furniture.