3 Dec 2011

Gary Speed remembered by football fans

Tens of thousands of football fans have remembered Gary Speed during an emotional minutes’ applause inside Elland Road.

Tributes to Gary Speed (Getty)

Today’s clash with Millwall is the first home match for Leeds since Gary Speed’s death last weekend.

Outside the main stand hundreds of fans ringed the shrine which has built-up in the last seven days in memory of the midfielder.

Thousands of shirts, scarves and other memorabilia have been draped around the statute of Leeds United legend Billy Bremner.

Hundreds more were added today as fans left tribute after tribute.

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 a pitch for a minutes 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.

Read more: Speed will not be 'last footballer in distress'

Tributes to a legend

There were more tributes at grounds across the country.

At St James’s Park, in Newcastle, there were tears and rapturous applause to remember the player before kick-off.

Speed was a mainstay of the Leeds United championship winning team in 1992 before becoming a Newcastle United favourite.

Outside Elland Road, Stuart Wright, from Leeds, said: “It’s just so sad. Everyone wants to just be here and pay tribute to a true gentleman of the game.”

Diane Crowther, from Morley, said: “He was just a legend.”