The tribute to Gary Speed planned at St. James’ Park was postponed from the Chelsea game, at the request of Gary Speed’s wife Louise, and will take place this afternoon before the game against Swansea.
Gary Speed with wife Louise shortly before his death last month
Louise and other family members will join fans today at St James’ Park as Geordies get their chance to honor the man who played for Newcastle from January of 1998 until July of 2004.
He was brought to the club by Kenny Dalglish, who paid Everton around £5M for him, and he stayed on Tyneside until 2004, when he was surprisingly sold to Bolton Wanderers.
Gary played 284 times for Newcastle with 40 goals, and he was loved by Newcastle fans, and was part of the successful side that the great Bobby Robson built on Tyneside.
There will be black and white cards held up by Newcastle fans in the East Stand of St James’ Park this afternoon, and they mark Speed’s number at Newcastle – number 11.
And it will be Welsh opera singer Gwyn Hughes Jones, who will sing the hymn Bread Of Heaven along with the supporters, before the game with Swansea City.
That will be followed by one minute’s applause to honor the great memories we all had of Gary Speed.
And we think it is fitting to have the first Welsh side ever to play in the Premier League, as the visitors today for this ceremony, as it is for a great Welshman who played 85 times for his country with 7 goals.
Gary was the current Welsh manager and had won three games in a row, when he committed suicide in his garage, under tragic circumstances, on 27th November at the young age of 42.
It seems that Gary suffered from depression, unbeknownst to the many of the friends who knew him, and they included close friend Alan Shearer, and their families went on summer vacations together.
But it’s today that fans will get a chance to honor a man whom I admired very much as a role model in football.
And I’ve been asked to remind local fans who are going to the game this afternoon, to bring along their black and white scarves.
Gary was a wonderful man and a great footballer, and seemed on his way to become a successful manager too.
We will all miss him greatly.
Rest in peace Gary Speed.
30 comments so far
pardew no 1
Dec 17, 2011 at 10:32 AM
Comment #1im at the match hope we win but this is the mean reason im going to the match is to pay my respects to garry speed
roshan MAGPIE
Dec 17, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Comment #2RIP GARRY SPEED
toonLYF
Dec 17, 2011 at 10:45 AM
Comment #3Colo and mehdi abeid start today with tiote on the bench
Rotonda heights
Dec 17, 2011 at 10:49 AM
Comment #4Lovely guy, still can’t believe it. R.I.P Gary.
toonlyf
where did you hear this?
Jan Stavik
Dec 17, 2011 at 10:49 AM
Comment #5Great man – great gesture by NUFC to honor him and his memory.
Still it’s a mystery why he wanted to end his life, I hope we’ll be able to get more insight into this some day. He had everything in material things, and also a family incl two sons. It’s beyond me, really
pardew no 1
Dec 17, 2011 at 10:52 AM
Comment #6toonLYF
how u know this
roshan MAGPIE
Dec 17, 2011 at 10:52 AM
Comment #7TOONLYF where did you heard that
deeeeeeano
Dec 17, 2011 at 10:57 AM
Comment #8Hope this is true toonlyf or am gonna send you a cyber Kenton slap.
markmac
Dec 17, 2011 at 10:58 AM
Comment #9R.I.P Gary, still saddened now, hope you’ve found your peace, 3 points in his honour please lads
HWTL
toonLYF
Dec 17, 2011 at 11:02 AM
Comment #10Mehdi’s Facebook page (his personal one) he pretty much said he’s debuting, and people on there that seem to have said that before he actually announced it, think that colo is starting and tiote on the bench, not a reliable source but it seems fairly believable and I’m usually a good judge of that
Rotonda heights
Dec 17, 2011 at 11:06 AM
Comment #11I thought players were banned on facebook and twitter for revealing line ups before a game.
toonLYF
Dec 17, 2011 at 11:08 AM
Comment #12Well he’s only 12
alext109
Dec 17, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Comment #13The facebook page that i found of Mehdi says nothing about debuting…unless management told him to delete him post?
toonLYF
Dec 17, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Comment #14Good luck to the lad if he does start, wouldve chosen him over gosling personally like
alext109
Dec 17, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Comment #15his*
deeeeeeano
Dec 17, 2011 at 11:13 AM
Comment #162-0 demba ba ba
toonLYF
Dec 17, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Comment #17Going for a good old Geordie 4-1 with ba getting a brace, a defender, and I fancy a gutierrez goal today
SwedishMagpie
Dec 17, 2011 at 11:33 AM
Comment #183-2 today ba, shola and cabaye 🙂
JAMSHA
Dec 17, 2011 at 11:43 AM
Comment #195-0 for speedy 🙂 o n yea colo is startng for sure. But n mid its smith sum1 toldme
magpiebop
Dec 17, 2011 at 11:48 AM
Comment #20Loved it when Gary Speed used to attack the ball in the air, headed a ball just like another legend Sir Les Ferdinand. Speed had the best engine in football a testimony to his ability, fitness and professionalism that he played so many games. The fans and old team mates are sure to pay a fitting tribute, St James will be in full voice today.
colwell
Dec 17, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Comment #21It was Cwarr07 that said Colo and Abeid were starting with Tiote on the bench. So none of that will happen then!
Geordie-Jake
Dec 17, 2011 at 12:06 PM
Comment #22I’m at the match 2day, sittin in the east stand too
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 17, 2011 at 12:12 PM
Comment #23Smith is not starting people, if he does then I will buy a hat and eat it.
Waldo P. Barnstormer
Dec 17, 2011 at 12:12 PM
Comment #24Any one wanting to watch the game this afternoon in hull. It’s on in the corn exchange in town.
daneevz
Dec 17, 2011 at 12:14 PM
Comment #25The Team
………………..Krul……………………
Simmo..Colo..Perch..RTaylor
Obertan.Abied.Cabaye.Guti
…………Ba……..Strolla…………..
and as for G.Speed i heard he and his misses had a blazin row where police were called the night b4 and she (Wife) was having an affair and the kids wernt his.
Ruddy Marveaux-lous
Dec 17, 2011 at 12:22 PM
Comment #26Daneevz, this isn’t the place to be saying those kinds of things. And today isn’t the day to be saying those things either. Today we are set to remember a great man for his contributions to our club. So please keep those things to yourself.
daneevz
Dec 17, 2011 at 12:25 PM
Comment #27agreed i apoligise! SPEEDDDOO!!
eaststandgeordie1982
Dec 17, 2011 at 12:30 PM
Comment #28R.I.P big fella a true legend
tdt
Dec 17, 2011 at 12:44 PM
Comment #29This is the team I’m hoping for today, but I realise it’s very dependent on injuries…
—————–Krul—————–
Simpson—Collo—Williamson—Santon
Obertan—Tiote—-Cabaye—Jonas
—————–HBA————–
—————–Ba—————–
Although it’s just as likely that the team will look like this…
—————–Krul—————–
Simpson—Collo—Perch—R.Taylor
Obertan—Abeid—-Cabaye—Jonas
———Sh.Ameobi—-Ba———–
Or even…
—————–Krul—————–
R.Taylor—Simpson—Perch—Santon
Obertan—Smith—-Cabaye—Jonas
———Sh.Ameobi—-Ba———–
Should be interesting to see what it is, but I hope it’s the first one, and it were don’t need to call on Perch, Smith and Shola that would be great! Need bigger, better CB’s than Simpson and Perch for sure.
alext109
Dec 17, 2011 at 12:54 PM
Comment #30According to Lee Ryder Ketsbaia, Dabizas and Robert have all flown over to pay their respects. Just shows what a great man and footballer Gary Speed was!
R.I.P. Speedo.