An Emotional Night For A Toon Legend

01 March 2012 15:25
A tearful Chris Coleman revealed Gary Speed's son Ed offered words of support to his players following the 1-0 defeat by Costa Rica in the match dedicated to the memory of hid dad.

Prior to kick-off there were performances from several Welsh artists, while Speed's sons Ed and Tom led the side out along with captain for the night Craig Bellamy and injured skipper Aaron Ramsey.

At one end of the ground cards were held aloft to reveal the name 'Gary' on the background of a Welsh flag as the anthem was played with a solemn Bellamy arm in arm with his late friend's sons, while a minute's applause was also held in honour of Speed and two spontaneous standing ovations took place during the 90 minutes.

Chris Coleman: "Ed and Tom, what a credit to Gary they are. Ed has come into the dressing room after the game and he gave a speech which anybody would have been proud of. There was not a tear in his eyes, he was strong as an ox.

"He came in and he said, 'My Dad always said to me that if you do your best it's enough, and I think you lot did your best tonight'.

"What do you say to that from a 14-year-old who has just lost his Dad? That's bravery, isn't it?"

Bellamy has previously said that this fixture could be his final cap, and he was given a warm ovation by the 23,000 crowd when he was replaced by Rob Earnshaw after 74 minutes.

Source: FOOTYMAD