Gary Speed - Death

Death

On 26 November 2011, Speed appeared as a guest on the BBC One television programme Football Focus, with presenter Dan Walker later describing Speed as being in "fine form". After the programme finished at 1pm, Speed chatted to various other pundits at the MediaCity studios in Salford before joining former team-mate Alan Shearer to watch the Manchester United versus Newcastle United match at Old Trafford, a short walk from the studios across the Manchester Ship Canal. After the match ended, at 5pm, Speed drove home to Huntington, Cheshire, about an hour's drive from Greater Manchester.

The following morning, just before 7am, his wife Louise found his body hanged in the garage of his home. She telephoned the ambulance service at 7:08am and the police were also informed. They confirmed him as being dead and the police announced that they were not treating his death as suspicious. Although the facts were not fully established, it was reported that Speed committed suicide. His death was announced to the public by the Football Association of Wales a few hours later. An inquest into Speed's death convened on 29 November 2011. The inquest was adjourned until 30 January 2012.

The coroner at the inquest reached a narrative verdict and stated that cause of death was by "self suspension", but that there was insufficient evidence to determine whether it was intentional as he may have intended to make a "dramatic gesture" and then "nodded off to sleep". The inquest heard that the pressure of management had put some strain on his marriage and that he and Louise had argued the night before his death. However family friend Alan Shearer had told Speed that such arguments were normal within a long-term relationship, and Louise told the inquest how recent conversations between her and her husband "went on about our future together and how excited he was about our journey together". His mother, Carol Speed, described him as a "glass half-empty person", and Louise said that he was "a somewhat closed character" and that she had viewed his last television appearance after his death and thought that "his smile did not appear genuine...it did not reach his eyes." Though he never discussed any possible mental health issues with anyone, four days before his death he did text Louise about the possibility of suicide, but he also dismissed such an action because of the importance of his wife and two children.

Speed left most of his £1,284,472 estate to his wife and the rest to his sons.