• Gary Speed 1969-2011

Wales boss Gary Speed dies aged 42

Gary Speed © Getty Images

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Gary Speed: a career in pictures
Aaron Ramsey leads tributes to Speed

Wales manager Gary Speed has been found dead at home at the age of 42. Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. He leaves a wife and two children.

Speed was the first player to make 500 appearances in the Premier League across spells with Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers. He held the record of 535 Premier League outings until David James passed that landmark.

Speed won the First Division title with Leeds in 1992, in the last season before the Premier League began. He was twice an FA Cup runner-up with Newcastle United and played in the Champions League for the Magpies.

In total he made over 700 appearances before retiring from playing whilst at Sheffield United in 2010. In the same year, he was awarded an MBE for services to football.

The midfielder won 85 international caps for Wales and took over as coach of the national side in December 2010 after a brief spell as boss of Sheffield United.

As manager, Speed transformed a Wales side which had dropped down to 112th in the FIFA rankings. After a slow start he presided over a run of four wins in five games, the other match being a narrow loss away to England.

An FAW statement said: "The Football Association of Wales are sad to announce the death of the national team manager Gary Speed. We extend our sympathies and condolences to the family. We ask that everyone respects the family's privacy at this very sad time.''

A spokeswoman for Cheshire Police said: "At 7.08am today, Cheshire Police was informed of a sudden death at an address in Huntington, Chester. Officers went to the scene where a 42-year-old man was found dead. The next of kin have been informed and have confirmed the identity of the man as Gary Speed.

"There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. The family have requested that they are left in peace to grieve at this difficult time. A family tribute will be released at a later date but not today.''

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