Gary Speed

[Guest Geordie_Paul]

Just been watching Sky Sports 2 before the Chelsea v Bolton game. They had an interview with Speed and about his whole playing careeer. Just said that, although he won a title with Leeds and captained Everton, if anyone had ever been to Newcastle they would know all about the footballing history and the like. Then went onto say that no matter where he played the toon was his most enjoyable and best footballing years of his life.

 

Shame because we all know he didn't want to leave but WAS sold. Probably covered in an old thread but i must admit i don't think we should have sold him, especially not for half a mil!

 

What are your opinions on Speed now and then?

[Guest Andrew Flintoff]

Agreed with the sale at the time, thought he was past his best and not offering much anymore.

 

How wrong I was.

 

 

[Dave]

I heard that.

[JH]

It was Shepherd's fault he went. Robson didn't want him gone like most of us fans who loved him. If we had a better chairman, he'd still be here 

[Guest Kenton Magpie]

Bollocks! SBR sold him and brought in Butt regardless to what has been said on the issue

[Dave]

Agreed with the sale at the time, thought he was past his best and not offering much anymore.

 

How wrong I was.

 

 

 

Me too. Humble pie.

[Paully]

Sold by The Chairmen behind Sir Bobby's back if you believe SBR's book  :wullie:

[Mick]

Sold by The Chairmen behind Sir Bobby's back if you believe SBR's book  :wullie:

 

Sir Bobby had lost his marbles, he was spot on later though when he appeared to back Shepherd.    

[Guest Gemmill]

He looked past his best cos he was carrying that little fucker Jenas.

[Guest Geordie_Paul]

I must admit i was shocked at the transfer and it did feel and look good to see him back in a Newcastle shirt at wor Shearers testimonial match! I remember when i was like 13 (yes i know only 5 years ago) seeing him in Kingston Park and he was happy to answer just about anyones questions and would always give up time to talk to fans!

 

I think if he had stayed could have possibly became another idol!

[Guest optimistic nit]

he is another idol tbh. certainly my favourite toon player.

[Toon_Crazy]

Agreed with the sale at the time, thought he was past his best and not offering much anymore.

 

How wrong I was.

 

 

 

Me too. Humble pie.

Yeah same for me, I thought he was past it and didn't mind the sale but I'd have him back till the end of the season.

[Guest 1nol]

I thought he'd lost it, so I wasn't particularly worried to see him go. He's been showing up my stunningly bad judgement ever since. You don't know what you've got till it's gone and all that.

[CaliMag]

He looked past his best cos he was carrying that little fucker Jenas.

I felt that it was the same with Dyer. Speed got a great deal of criticism when Dyer first started playing with us because of his walkabouts. Either way Speed was usually playing the role of two CMs.

[Tisd09]

Even now he is still playing better than his replacement Nicky Butt. I wasn't happy that Speed had left thought I must admit at the time I thought it was a good idea to bring Nicky Butt in. Speed is a very intelligent player and he has been able to adapt his game so he can go on. It helps that Bolton pack the midfield with vert tenacious players, don't think he has the legs for a midfield 4 anymore.

 

Legend! Easily could get in the Welsh squad pity he has retired then again it has probably prolonged his career having long rests during International weeks.

[Baggio]

Bolton did manage to poach Gary Speed from us, however, and therein lies another tale of how disjointed the manager-chairman relationship had become. On our tour to the Far East, John Carver suddenly informed me, 'We've had an offer for Gary Speed from Bolton.' I knew nothing about it, so I went in search of the chairman for clarification. On no account did I want Gary Speed to leave. First I caught up with the player himself.

'Gary, what's all this about you wanting to go to Bolton Wanderers? I know nothing about it. The chairman hasn't mentioned it to me. When John Carver told me an hour ago I was aghast. What do you want to go to Bolton for?'

'The club are going to let me go,' Gary said. 'If you don't know anything about it, you'd better see the chairman.'

'As far as I'm concerned, you're not going to Bolton Wanderers,' I told him 'You're staying here'

That saturday night, the day of our game, I tried the chairman's room, reception, the restaurant and the bar. Eventually, I was told he was out. I was so angry I sat in the foyer, waiting, for half an hour. Finally, the chairman's figure appeared in the doorway and I confronted him there and then. Under cross examination he denied all knowledge of Gary's impending move. It was heading into the realms of farce. The next step, naturally, was to go back to Gary. I spoke to him on our flight from Hong Kong.

'The chairman says he knows nothing about this Bolton thing,' I said and left it there. We arrived back in Newcastle on the Monday morning and, early that afternoon, the chairman called me. 'Gary Spped's in here with me, he wants to see you. He wants to say goodbye,' he said.

'What?' I exclaimed.

The deal had been completed that morning. Fifty years in the game have taught me that you cannot construct a transfer in four hours. The idea that a player of Gary Speed's calibre can be sold in four hours is absurd and yet I was being told throughout the weekend that the club knew notning of Bolton's interest in one of our most valued players.

'Gary, this is not my doing,' I told him. 'I want to keep you.' Having let Hugo Viana go back to Portugal, to play more football, we had lost two left footed midfielders. I needed to plug that hole and so, when my indignation had subsided, I gave the chairman four names - Nicky Butt, Michael Carrick, Mark Van Bommel and Sean Davis.

'Why don't you bring Carrick in, he's talented, and he's a Geordie,' I suggested but the chairman was reluctant to pay West Ham £3 million for Carrick's services. His view was that he could aquire him for £500,000 in the January transfer window. Freddy Shepherd honestly believed that Carrick would not move to any Premier league club but Newcastle. He was in the last year of his contract at Upton Park - hence Freddy's belief that West Ham would have to unload him for a reduced fee in January.

I told him 'Look, chairman, if another club comes in and pays West Ham the moneythey're looking for, they will not turn that money down.' Michael Carrick signed for Tottenham Hotspur that summer.

 

:|

[ElDiablo]

he is another idol tbh. certainly my favourite toon player.

 

Ditto. Him and Bobby were my heroes bluecry.gif

[ElDiablo]

Bolton did manage to poach Gary Speed from us, however, and therein lies another tale of how disjointed the manager-chairman relationship had become. On our tour to the Far East, John Carver suddenly informed me, 'We've had an offer for Gary Speed from Bolton.' I knew nothing about it, so I went in search of the chairman for clarification. On no account did I want Gary Speed to leave. First I caught up with the player himself.

'Gary, what's all this about you wanting to go to Bolton Wanderers? I know nothing about it. The chairman hasn't mentioned it to me. When John Carver told me an hour ago I was aghast. What do you want to go to Bolton for?'

'The club are going to let me go,' Gary said. 'If you don't know anything about it, you'd better see the chairman.'

'As far as I'm concerned, you're not going to Bolton Wanderers,' I told him 'You're staying here'

That saturday night, the day of our game, I tried the chairman's room, reception, the restaurant and the bar. Eventually, I was told he was out. I was so angry I sat in the foyer, waiting, for half an hour. Finally, the chairman's figure appeared in the doorway and I confronted him there and then. Under cross examination he denied all knowledge of Gary's impending move. It was heading into the realms of farce. The next step, naturally, was to go back to Gary. I spoke to him on our flight from Hong Kong.

'The chairman says he knows nothing about this Bolton thing,' I said and left it there. We arrived back in Newcastle on the Monday morning and, early that afternoon, the chairman called me. 'Gary Spped's in here with me, he wants to see you. He wants to say goodbye,' he said.

'What?' I exclaimed.

The deal had been completed that morning. Fifty years in the game have taught me that you cannot construct a transfer in four hours. The idea that a player of Gary Speed's calibre can be sold in four hours is absurd and yet I was being told throughout the weekend that the club knew notning of Bolton's interest in one of our most valued players.

'Gary, this is not my doing,' I told him. 'I want to keep you.' Having let Hugo Viana go back to Portugal, to play more football, we had lost two left footed midfielders. I needed to plug that hole and so, when my indignation had subsided, I gave the chairman four names - Nicky Butt, Michael Carrick, Mark Van Bommel and Sean Davis.

'Why don't you bring Carrick in, he's talented, and he's a Geordie,' I suggested but the chairman was reluctant to pay West Ham £3 million for Carrick's services. His view was that he could aquire him for £500,000 in the January transfer window. Freddy Shepherd honestly believed that Carrick would not move to any Premier league club but Newcastle. He was in the last year of his contract at Upton Park - hence Freddy's belief that West Ham would have to unload him for a reduced fee in January.

I told him 'Look, chairman, if another club comes in and pays West Ham the moneythey're looking for, they will not turn that money down.' Michael Carrick signed for Tottenham Hotspur that summer.

 

:|

 

:wullie:  :roll: :wullie:

[Guest Geordie_Paul]

Aye in my eyes he was an idol but you know what i mean, had he stayed he would have been absolute legendary i think!

[Keefaz]

Pretty much the same for me. I thought he was a top player for us and a smashing lad. Whoever said he was carrying Jenas is spot on, I remember watching whole matches where he was having to do Jenas' work for him.

[CaliMag]

Sadly the most common song for him was that evil ditty the Scouse makems sang. Another example of bitterness.

[Guest optimistic nit]

not sure if that can be trusted tbf.

 

either sir bob's lying to cover his arse after a serious error or its true, and i'm truthfully speachless at the shambles that is fs.

[CaliMag]

Why would SBR lie about that sale when he openly admits to the mistake of selling Nobby? Equally popular and went on to play well for Villa.

 

I believe SBR on this one.

[Guest optimistic nit]

he wouldn't is the answer. If he did accept the nobby one then i'll believe him on this. Nobby was sold before in jan iirc so maybe sirbob learnt from the mistake. but seriously, how can one person (the chairman) be so immature? i never understand how someone can just stand there and lie so blatently and think he will get away with it. i can understand small white lies but this type of "i know nothing of this" when you know that it will come out in the end just perplexes me.

[Yorkie]

Should never have gone and i knew we'd madew a big mistake when we sold him.

 

Our midfield absolutely fell apart.