Editing Gary Speed (section)

===Leeds United===
Speed began his career with [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]] as a trainee when he left school in June 1988,<ref name=guardianobit/> and was [[Peter Swan (footballer, born 1966)|Peter Swan]]'s boot boy,<ref>{{cite book |title=Swanny: Confessions of a Lower-League Legend |first=Peter |last=Swan |year=2008 |publisher=John Blake Publishing |isbn=978-1-84454-660-2 |page=55}}</ref> before he signed a professional contract on 13 June 1988.<ref name=Hugman0910/> Leeds manager [[Howard Wilkinson]] first noticed Speed in a youth team game while the player was playing in a [[defender (association football)#Full-back|left back]] position.<ref name="Goal.com Obituary">{{cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2882/wales/2011/11/28/2778061/obituary-gary-speed-1969-2011 |title=Obituary: Gary Speed (1969–2011) |first=Wayne |last=Veysey |publisher=Goal.com |date=28 November 2011 |access-date=2 December 2011}}</ref> Under Wilkinson, he made his first team debut aged 19 in a goalless draw against [[Oldham Athletic A.F.C.|Oldham Athletic]] in the [[Football League Second Division]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.minsterfm.com/news/local/564906/tributes-to-leeds-legend-gary-speed/ |title=Tributes to Leeds legend Gary Speed |publisher=104.7 Minster FM |date=28 November 2011 |access-date=2 December 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131203000925/http://www.minsterfm.com/news/local/564906/tributes-to-leeds-legend-gary-speed/ |archive-date=3 December 2013}}</ref> He would go on to play in nine out of the ten outfield positions,{{which|date=November 2011}} although he was predominantly a left-sided player.<ref name="Goal.com Obituary"/>

He went on to play a key role, playing 41 of a possible 42 games and scoring seven goals,<ref name="Rothman">{{cite book |title=Rothman's Football Yearbook 1992–93 |year=1992 |publisher=Headline Book Publishing |location=London |isbn=978-0-7472-7905-1 |pages=282–283}}</ref> as Leeds won the [[Football League First Division]] championship title in 1992,<ref>{{cite news |title=Gary Speed picture gallery |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/wales/9284442.stm |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |date=27 November 2011 |access-date=2 December 2011}}</ref> as part of a midfield that also comprised [[Gordon Strachan]], [[Gary McAllister]] and [[David Batty]]&nbsp;– former Leeds manager [[Eddie Gray (footballer, born 1948)|Eddie Gray]] considered it to be one of the greatest midfield line-ups in the modern era.<ref>{{cite news |last=Robinson |first=Paul |title=Gary Speed: Leeds United mourning a legend |url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/central-leeds/gary_speed_leeds_united_mourning_a_legend_updated_1_4009576 |newspaper=Yorkshire Evening Post |date=29 November 2011 |access-date=3 December 2011}}</ref> Wilkinson named Speed as the club's player of the season.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ponting |first=Ivan |title=Gary Speed: Footballer and Wales manager whose playing career spanned 22 years |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/gary-speed-footballer-and-wales-manager-whose-playing-career-spanned-22-years-6268784.html |newspaper=The Independent |date=28 November 2011 |access-date=2 December 2011}}</ref>

In September 1992, Speed was pivotal in Leeds' [[UEFA Champions League]] first-round tie against [[VfB Stuttgart]]. Stuttgart had won 3–0 at home and looked to be going through already. Speed helped Leeds to a 4–1 victory at [[Elland Road]], scoring one of them with a "superb left-foot volley" which he later described as his best-ever goal. Although Leeds went out of the tie on the [[away goals rule]], the club was later reinstated, for Stuttgart had fielded an ineligible player.<ref name="mirror football stats">{{cite news |title=Gary Speed Record breaking Welsh wonder |url=http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/archive/Gary-Speed-Record-breaking-career-of-the-Welsh-wonder-article80968.html |newspaper=Daily Mirror |access-date=3 December 2011}}</ref>

Speed was selected in the [[PFA Team of the Year]] for the 1992–93 season.<ref name=PFATeam9293/>

On 4 October 1995, Speed scored the winning goal as Leeds beat [[English second division|second division]] side [[Notts County F.C.|Notts County]] in the second round of the [[EFL Cup|League Cup]]. The match had seemed to be going to extra time, but Speed's 90th-minute winning goal kept Leeds from needing a replay to overcome their lower-league opponents.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shaw |first=Phil |title=Speed delivers decisive strike |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/speed-delivers-decisive-strike-1575972.html |newspaper=The Independent |date=4 October 1995 |access-date=3 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Action replay 1995: Notts County v Leeds United |url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/action_replay_1995_notts_county_v_leeds_united_1_2254707 |newspaper=Yorkshire Evening Post |date=30 September 2011 |access-date=3 December 2011}}</ref>

Speed featured in the [[1996 Football League Cup final]] defeat by [[Aston Villa F.C.|Aston Villa]].<ref name="mirror football stats" /> Before transferring to Everton, Speed played in 312 games for Leeds United, scoring 57 goals.<ref name="Goal.com Obituary"/>