Club career Gary Speed

1 club career

1.1 leeds united
1.2 everton
1.3 newcastle united
1.4 bolton wanderers
1.5 sheffield united

club career
leeds united

speed began career leeds united trainee when left school in june 1988, , peter swan s boot boy, before signed professional contract on 13 june 1988. leeds manager howard wilkinson first noticed speed in youth team game while player playing in left position. under wilkinson, made first team debut aged 19 in goalless draw against oldham athletic in football league second division. go on play in 9 out of ten outfield positions, although predominantly left-sided player.

he went on play key role, playing 41 of possible 42 games , scoring 7 goals, leeds won football league first division championship title in 1992, part of midfield comprised gordon strachan, gary mcallister , david batty – former leeds manager eddie gray considered 1 of greatest midfield line-ups in modern era. wilkinson named speed club s player of season.

in september 1992, speed pivotal in leeds european cup first-round tie against vfb stuttgart. stuttgart had won 3–0 @ home , looked going through already. speed helped leeds 4–1 victory @ elland road, scoring 1 of them superb left-foot volley later described best ever goal. although leeds went out of tie on away goals rule, later re-instated stuttgart had fielded ineligible player.

speed selected in pfa team of year 1992–93 season.

on 4 october 1995, speed scored winning goal leeds beat second division side notts county in second round of league cup. match had seemed going extra-time speed s 90th-minute winning goal had stopped leeds needing replay overcome lower league opponents.

speed featured in 1996 football league cup final defeat aston villa. before transferring everton, speed played in 312 games leeds united, scoring 57 goals.

everton

a childhood everton fan, speed signed joe royle before 1996–97 season, fee of £3.5 million. made debut on 17 august 1996, scoring against newcastle. in november of year, speed scored hat-trick – 1 of career – everton beat southampton 7–1 @ goodison park. speed finished season 11 goals, joint top-scorer duncan ferguson. speed voted everton player of year performances during first season @ club.

howard kendall succeeded royle manager @ start of 1997–98 season, , nominated speed club captain. however, turn of year relationship between speed , kendall had soured. speed played last game club on 18 january 1998, scoring in 3–1 win on chelsea. did not travel next game, away west ham, , subsequently sold newcastle £5.5 million. reasons underlying speed s departure never revealed. told liverpool echo: know why m leaving, can t explain myself publicly because damage name of everton football club , m not prepared that.

newcastle united

speed signed newcastle united on 6 february 1998 kenny dalglish, fee of £5.5 million. made debut starter in 1–0 home premier league defeat west ham united next day. first goal came in fifth match, sixth round proper of 1997–98 fa cup. @ home barnsley, scored second goal of 3–1 home win 27th-minute strike. league goal of 1997–98 season came in 3–1 home win on chelsea in penultimate league match on 2 may, newcastle s third in 59th minute. finished season playing 1998 fa cup final, newcastle lost 2–0 arsenal on 16 may.

speed featured in club s fa cup final defeat manchester united on 22 may 1999. on 19 september 1999, scored goal in newcastle s 8–0 premier league victory on sheffield wednesday in teammate alan shearer scored joint-record 5 times. played in uefa champions league newcastle in 2002–03 season, scoring 58th-minute equaliser in 2–1 home victory on dynamo kyiv in group stage on 29 october 2002.

bolton wanderers

speed moved bolton wanderers on two-year deal in £750,000 switch newcastle united in july 2004. became first player make 500 premier league appearances when played in bolton s 4–0 victory on west ham united in december 2006.

on 1 may 2007, speed named first team coach bolton after sam allardyce stepped down job manager. however, in october left coaching job , returned being player club. conflicting reports of incident claimed manager sammy lee relieved him of duties concentrate on playing speed, in interview bolton news, claimed chose step down.

speed scored header bolton against reading on 25 august 2007, making him, @ time, player have scored in every premiership season date. ryan giggs later matched achievement on 20 october 2007, , passed on 8 february 2009. had been reported in december 2007 speed target derby county, confirmed on 24 december 2007 join sheffield united on loan on 1 january 2008, view permanent move fee of £250,000.

sheffield united

speed made first team debut on day of transfer – being named in starting eleven 0–0 away draw against wolverhampton wanderers on new year s day 2008. played regularly rest of season , deputised captain when chris morgan unavailable. having seen penalty parried, speed netted rebound score first goal blades in victory on coventry in march of year. went on finish season on 3 goals blades, scoring both goals in 2–1 home victory on bristol city in penultimate game of 2007–08 season. in interview bbc wales on 10 may 2008, speed hinted 2008–09 season may last playing before moving coaching or management stated had not yet made mind.

speed started next season regular fixture in blades midfield succumbed injury in november 2008. despite undergoing surgery correct problem failed regain fitness , missed rest of season, concentrating instead on coaching role @ club. in june 2009, approached swansea city regards taking on managerial role left vacant roberto martinez. continued training , completed 2010 london marathon in aid of sir bobby robson foundation, cancer charity founded speed s former newcastle manager, had died on 31 july 2009 after long battle against illness.

speed announced retirement playing in 41st year, agreed remain @ sheffield united @ least 1 more season coach. despite again registered player , named on bench first round league cup game against hartlepool united @ outset of following season.