The family of Gary Speed has today released their first statement through his agent Hayden Evans, who was also the best man at the 42-year-old's wedding where the family stated they are “overwhelmed by the support“ by the received following the death of the former Welsh manager.
Gary Speed committed suicide at his home in Huntingdon yesterday morning leaving it a mystery as to why the 42-year-old felt that he needed to take his own life, tributes have been flooding in for the former Wales, Leeds, Everton, Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United midfielder from across the world.
Hayden Evans said: "Gary's family would sincerely like to thank all the people that have sent messages of condolence and tributes in what is a very difficult time.
"We have been overwhelmed by the support and it really has helped.
"We would ask that the family are now given the respect of some privacy to just grieve on their own."
Earlier Gary McAllister who is deeply shocked by the death of Speed, insisted after they appeared on television together at the weekend that "there were no signs” that Speed had troubles.
"Alan Shearer broke the news to me (yesterday) and it turned me to jelly," said the Scotsman on Monday.
"I couldn't believe what he was saying. It shook me to the bones; I was in shock for most of the day.
"Twenty minutes before we went on air on Saturday, he was the normal Gary Speed to me.
"He was very excited about the prospects of the Welsh national team and was upbeat, looking class, immaculately presented. He was a movie star in my eyes.
"With no competitive Wales games until February, we were talking about getting some golf organised.
"There were no signs, nothing to suggest he was troubled. He looked well and things are going well for him at the moment. I could never have thought that 10-12 hours after I saw him I'd be getting that news. It's a nightmare."
"I couldn't see anything in Gary that suggested he was depressed or had any feeling of anxiety. He was just the Gary Speed that I know."
