Yorkshire Evening Post 3/12/11
Grayson targets promotion after emotional win
Leeds manager Simon Grayson today said the biggest tribute the club could pay Gary Speed would be to win promotion this season to the Barclays Premier League.
The Whites clinched their first home league win in five attempts thanks to a brilliant double from Robert Snodgrass in the space of two second-half minutes in a 2-0 win over Millwall.
Snodgrass curled home a 25-yard free-kick just after the hour-mark and then threw himself at Lloyd Sam’s cross two minutes later to head home the second.
It was the second time in as many matches that the memory of Speed, found dead at his home in Cheshire last Sunday, had served to inspire Leeds.
Speed’s father Roger, wife Louise and sons Edward and Thomas were in attendance as Elland Road paid its final tribute to one of the club’s favourite sons.
Grayson, whose side won 4-0 at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, said after another emotional day: “This week’s been difficult and it’s obviously dedicated to Gary.
“The biggest tribute we can do is, come April and May, we can get into the Premier League, where Gary spent a huge amount of his career and was very successful.”
Grayson was joined by Speed’s former team-mates from the 1992 Championship-winning side, David Batty, Gary McAllister and Gordon Strachan, before kick-off when he and Millwall counterpart Kenny Jackett laid wreaths in each half of the pitch.
Grayson, who signed for the club as a schoolboy on the same day as Speed, added: “Gary was an Evertonian and his dad realises that, but that’s why they’re all here today because this is where it all started 28 years ago.
“We signed on here with his mum and dad and my mum and dad and my dad met Roger this morning, which was very nice.
“That’s what it’s all about. Our club is very passionate about players who have done well for the club and the recognition was there for everyone to see and everyone can be really proud of what they’ve done this week.”
Leeds lost skipper Jonny Howson (knee) and midfield partner Michael Brown (ankle) to injury in the first half and the latter’s replacement Lloyd Sam helped turn the game in Leeds’ favour after a forgettable first half.
Sam, wearing the same number 11 on his jersey as Speed in his playing days at Leeds, provided numerous telling crosses from the right, one of them leading directly to Snodgrass’s second goal.
Grayson said: “I said to him at half-time, ‘Look, don’t you forget who wore that shirt. I want you to be as positive as Gary was’, and he did contribute to the game.
“Lloyd has got the talent to go on and do that. It would have been fitting for him to score, but let’s not be greedy.”
Millwall manager Kenny Jackett accepted his players faced an uphill task to stem the tide of emotion, but he had no complaints about their effort.
Jackett said: “We did well for an hour and were solid defensively and had some chances on the break, but once the free-kick went in it was tough for us.
“The atmosphere at the ground stepped up and it was tough for us to get back in the game. It was a great free-kick, the keeper didn’t move.
“I wouldn’t say I was disappointed, but it was hard for us to come here today and get a positive result.”
Grayson targets promotion after emotional win
Leeds manager Simon Grayson today said the biggest tribute the club could pay Gary Speed would be to win promotion this season to the Barclays Premier League.
The Whites clinched their first home league win in five attempts thanks to a brilliant double from Robert Snodgrass in the space of two second-half minutes in a 2-0 win over Millwall.
Snodgrass curled home a 25-yard free-kick just after the hour-mark and then threw himself at Lloyd Sam’s cross two minutes later to head home the second.
It was the second time in as many matches that the memory of Speed, found dead at his home in Cheshire last Sunday, had served to inspire Leeds.
Speed’s father Roger, wife Louise and sons Edward and Thomas were in attendance as Elland Road paid its final tribute to one of the club’s favourite sons.
Grayson, whose side won 4-0 at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, said after another emotional day: “This week’s been difficult and it’s obviously dedicated to Gary.
“The biggest tribute we can do is, come April and May, we can get into the Premier League, where Gary spent a huge amount of his career and was very successful.”
Grayson was joined by Speed’s former team-mates from the 1992 Championship-winning side, David Batty, Gary McAllister and Gordon Strachan, before kick-off when he and Millwall counterpart Kenny Jackett laid wreaths in each half of the pitch.
Grayson, who signed for the club as a schoolboy on the same day as Speed, added: “Gary was an Evertonian and his dad realises that, but that’s why they’re all here today because this is where it all started 28 years ago.
“We signed on here with his mum and dad and my mum and dad and my dad met Roger this morning, which was very nice.
“That’s what it’s all about. Our club is very passionate about players who have done well for the club and the recognition was there for everyone to see and everyone can be really proud of what they’ve done this week.”
Leeds lost skipper Jonny Howson (knee) and midfield partner Michael Brown (ankle) to injury in the first half and the latter’s replacement Lloyd Sam helped turn the game in Leeds’ favour after a forgettable first half.
Sam, wearing the same number 11 on his jersey as Speed in his playing days at Leeds, provided numerous telling crosses from the right, one of them leading directly to Snodgrass’s second goal.
Grayson said: “I said to him at half-time, ‘Look, don’t you forget who wore that shirt. I want you to be as positive as Gary was’, and he did contribute to the game.
“Lloyd has got the talent to go on and do that. It would have been fitting for him to score, but let’s not be greedy.”
Millwall manager Kenny Jackett accepted his players faced an uphill task to stem the tide of emotion, but he had no complaints about their effort.
Jackett said: “We did well for an hour and were solid defensively and had some chances on the break, but once the free-kick went in it was tough for us.
“The atmosphere at the ground stepped up and it was tough for us to get back in the game. It was a great free-kick, the keeper didn’t move.
“I wouldn’t say I was disappointed, but it was hard for us to come here today and get a positive result.”