Gary Speed: Fans And Footballers Pay Tribute To Late Wales Manager (Pictures)

Leeds Fans Pay Tribute To Late Wales Manager
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There were emotional scenes inside and outside the home of Leeds United as thousands of fans remembered club favourite Gary Speed.

The clash with Millwall is the first home match at Elland Road since Speed's death last weekend.

Gary Speed's widow and two sons joined fans to remember the late Wales manager at the ground where he made his name as a player.

Louise Speed watched from the stands with her two sons, Edward and Thomas.

Just before half-time, she came out of the ground with members of her family, but without the boys, to inspect the masses of tributes to her husband which have formed a shrine around the statue of Leeds legend Billy Bremner.

Mrs Speed and her relatives spent about 10 to 15 minutes looking at the thousands of scarves, shirts and photographs fans had left. They picked up many of the tributes to read the messages, sharing some of the written memories with each other.

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Many were in tears as they massed in a circle around the statue in silence.

Inside the packed stadium, there was more emotion as the teams stood in the centre of the pitch for a minute's applause which was punctuated with chants of Speed's name.

His old midfield colleagues Gordon Strachan, Gary McAllister and David Batty stood on the pitch and laid wreaths.

Meanwhile, at St James's Park, in Newcastle, there were tears and rapturous applause to remember the player before kick-off. Newcastle United postponed part of their planned tribute to Speed after his wife said she wanted to be present.

Speed was a mainstay of the Leeds United championship winning team in 1992 and played for the club for eight years before becoming a Newcastle United favourite.