Case Ref : 20111127, Speed, Gary

Official Narrative

On 26 November 2011, Speed appeared as a guest on the BBC One television programme Football Focus; presenter Dan Walker later described him as being in "fine form". After the programme finished at 1 pm, Speed chatted to various other pundits at the Media City studios in Salford before joining former Newcastle United team mate Alan Shearer to watch their old club play against Manchester United at Old Trafford, a short walk from the studios across the Manchester Ship Canal. At 5 pm, Speed drove home to Huntington, Cheshire, about an hour's drive from Old Trafford.

The following morning, just before 7 am, his wife Louise found his body hanging in the garage of his home. She telephoned the ambulance service at 7:08 a.m. and the police were also informed. They confirmed that he was dead, and announced that they were not treating his death as suspicious. Although the facts were not fully established, it was reported that Speed's death had been a suicide. His death was announced to the public by the Football Association of Wales a few hours later.

Email received

I just wanted to point out to you that today (25th November) the Daily Mail have a story on Gary Speed and how the police and family still have no idea why he killed himself. I don't believe this is a coincidence that this article has appeared in the same week that there has been article after article on rampant paedophilia in youth football.

I believe you have mentioned Gary Speed before but I just wanted to bring this to your attention. Maybe a case of the press giving us part of the truth or playing mind games with the masses.

Notes

Gary Speed was in the process of writing two books at the time of his death, including a long-anticipated autobiography.

It is also reported that Gary Speed stayed over at paedophile football coach Barry Bennell's home but was 'too clever' to be a victim of abuse.