World Cup: Wales fans remember Gary Speed 11 years after death

For galore Wales fans, the travel to the World Cup successful Qatar didn't commencement successful qualifying oregon adjacent with the existent radical of players.

It was astir 50 years ago, connected playing fields successful Flintshire, that the ethos and everything astir this broadside began to instrumentality shape.

It is 11 years agone contiguous that erstwhile player, skipper and manager Gary Speed near us.

Yet, helium volition unrecorded everlastingly successful the eyes of Wales' shot fans.

"He started it all, started the shot rolling. He wanted america to play similar helium did, 'give maine the ball'," said Stuart Smith, 42, from Blackwood, Caerphilly.

"He didn't privation america to conscionable scrape by immoderate more, helium wanted america to play, however we bash now. He gave america assurance successful our shot and shaped our crippled arsenic it is today."

Describing him arsenic "a due Welsh hero", Mr Smith added: "He changed the mindset of Welsh football."

A minute's soundlessness was held astatine Wales' grooming crushed connected Sunday successful Speed's representation - and helium is not acold from fans' thoughts arsenic they enactment the squad successful Qatar.

Arwel Williams, 48, from Eglwys Bach, Conwy, possibly spoke for astir Welsh radical erstwhile helium said helium remembers the moment, and precisely wherever helium was, erstwhile helium heard of Speed's death.

"I was playing play successful Abergele, I couldn't judge it. But he's present with america successful spirit," helium added.

Dawn Williams, 47, agreed, saying the fans volition ne'er forget, singing astir him astatine games to this day, portion Tony Hughes, 55, from Narberth, Pembrokeshire, said: "We would inactive beryllium successful the acheronian ages if it wasn't for him."

As manager betwixt 2010 and 2011, helium mentored players specified arsenic Aaron Ramsey, paving the mode for Chris Coleman to pb the broadside to Euro 2016.

Speed, who was 42 erstwhile helium took his ain life, won 85 caps and suffered World Cup heartbreak himself arsenic portion of the broadside that narrowly mislaid retired connected qualification for USA 1994.

"He would beryllium truthful arrogant of the boys, whether helium was portion of this squad present oregon not, helium was a due Welshman," said Simon Brown, 55, from Monmouth.

He added: "Not a batch of radical extracurricular the state knew wherever Wales was, they whitethorn cognize Gareth Bale, oregon accidental it's successful the UK oregon adjacent successful London.

"But it's connected the representation now, and helium has played a large portion successful that."

In their authoritative opus for Euro 2016, the Manic Street Preachers sang: "Let's not hide Gary Speed, helium wore his bosom connected his sleeve.

"And if helium is looking down, past our emotion is each around."

It whitethorn beryllium different six years connected from that tournament, and connected fields acold much distant from those successful Speed's autochthonal Hawarden successful Flintshire, but clip cannot diminish his memory.

An affectional Ian Sullivan, 58, from Merthyr Tydfil, said: "It's everything, isn't it?

"This occasion, being present goes backmost 10, 11, 12 years and to him, gathering up to this.

"Speed is looked astatine arsenic an idol, not conscionable successful presumption of being Welsh manager, but by players.

"He was wholly respected by chap professionals, which got america a batch of designation astatine the time."

Mr Sullivan added that adjacent though helium whitethorn not beryllium successful Qatar, "he is present with us".

Lee Ellis, 51, from Beddau, Rhondda Cynon Taf, said that Speed was truthful loved due to the fact that of the antheral helium was arsenic much, if not more, than thing helium achieved successful football.

He was astatine his last crippled arsenic manager against Bulgaria distant successful 2011 and spoke to him portion successful a container astatine Cardiff City soon earlier his death.

"He came successful and conscionable chatted to everyone. He was truthful approachable and didn't look down connected anyone," helium added.

When the National Anthem plays earlier games astatine the World Cup "your caput people turns to him", said Andy Phillips, 50, from Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire.

He added that erstwhile helium came successful arsenic manager, the set-up was unprofessional and disorganised, but helium wholly changed it.

"When helium came in, Wales became astir similar a nine side," helium said.

"The organisation and resources accrued tenfold. He is massively liable for wherever we are now."

Speaking astir his death, helium added: "If it did anything, it shed a spotlight connected intelligence wellness and we indispensable cheque successful to marque definite radical are alright."

The consciousness of nonaccomplishment among Wales shot fans is inactive evident 11 years connected and yet, adjacent thousands of miles distant from home, Gary Speed is inactive precise overmuch with them.