RIP Gary Speed

I usually try to make anything I write interesting. Try being the main word. You can’t fault a try-er. Much has been said about Gary Speed, but here’s my little take on the situation I found myself in this afternoon.

I was walking by Bramall Lane on my way to interview some people at a homeless shelter (I know, what a joyful day), and saw a shrine in the main car park. A shrine I have seen pictures of on the internet. I popped by to see it for myself. I took the picture below.

The shrine starts at one statue (Joe Shaw) and finishes at another (Derek Hooley). It’s about 10m long. I took my headphones out my ears and started viewing the tributes from one end. Flowers, pictures, shirts, scarves.  It’s very rare I get a lump in my throat (apart from the constant one that is my Adams apple), but on this occasion I did. It was deftly silent. The rain had soaked many items through, but the messages and colour still stood out.

I was then joined  by a middle aged woman, a teenager, and an old couple who replaced some old flowers with a new bunch. Then a mother and her son turned up. Her son was about 8 and he had an a4 sheet of paper with a photo of Gary Speed on it. On it he had written “Sleep tight with the angels Gary. I’ll miss you”. The moment was ruined slightly when the sheet blew off. At 8 years old one would imagine someone would be aware that paper blows away in wind, but, it was no problem. His mum weighted it down with a bunch of flowers and called her son a wally.

Sheffield United items led the way, but also on show were Newcastle shirts, Leeds shirts and Sheffield Wednesday scarves. Any other time, these items would have probably been urinated or spat on.  Not on this occasion.

On my way out I passed a vessel who goes to the gym I go to. He's a security man for Sheffield Hallam University and is the biggest man to go in the gym. When he comes in, I quickly go out, because he puts what I can lift to shame. He has a shaved head, tattoo’s all over, and has enough muscle to rival Fatima Whitbread. You simply do not mess with his type. He turned up to the shrine with his young daughter to pay his respects. He’s a Sheffield Wednesday fan.

I brushed shoulders with Gary Speed at Pride Park in September for the John Hartson charity match. I was armed with a FlashMic ready to interview all the famous people, but I was too star struck to say anything to him. He stood out.

I’ll never forget the Sunday just gone. Never before has the death of a famous person got to me, but this one did. It ruined my Sunday.

RIP Gary Speed.