Editing Gary Sprake (section)

==Retirement==
A back injury brought Sprake's career to an end at the age of 30, the injury resulting from a near fatal [[blood clot]] in his back which forced him to undergo [[spinal fusion]] surgery.<ref name=want/> His back problems were largely blamed on regular injections of [[cortisone]] he was given during his early career at Leeds. After retiring, he underwent seven operations on his back.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2000/aug/12/football.vivekchaudhary2 |title=Gary Sprake: "Club should pay" |first=Vivek |last=Chaudhary |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=12 August 2000 |access-date=9 December 2009}}</ref> Sprake worked as a salesman for a short period before becoming a borough council training officer in [[Solihull]], where he remained for over 14 years.<ref name=want/> His biography, ''Careless Hands: The Forgotten Truth of Gary Sprake'' by Tim Johnson and Stuart Sprake (his nephew), was published in 2006.<ref name=nightmareref/> In November 2009, he was given an award by the [[Football Association of Wales]] for his contribution to Welsh football during the 1960s and 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.faw.org.uk/news/FAW56477.ink |title=The FAW / SA Brains Football Awards Evening |publisher=Football Association of Wales |date=11 November 2009 |access-date=31 August 2015 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109183422/http://www.faw.org.uk/news/FAW56477.ink |archive-date=9 January 2016 |df=dmy }}</ref>

In 1978, Sprake was paid a substantial fee by the ''[[Daily Mirror]]'' to make allegations against former Leeds manager Don Revie and club captain [[Billy Bremner]] regarding match-fixing, though no charges ever arose from his accusations.<ref name=GuardianObit/> Allegations centred on the match between [[Wolverhampton Wanderers]] and Leeds at [[Molineux Stadium|Molineux]] on 8 May 1972. It was the final match of the 1971–72 season and Leeds needed one point to win the league title. They lost 2–1 and the title went to [[Derby County F.C.|Derby County]]. The paper alleged that Revie and Bremner had tried to bribe [[Danny Hegan]], a Wolves player, before the match. In 1982, Bremner sued for libel in the [[High Court]] and was awarded damages of £100,000. Among witnesses who supported Bremner was Wolves' [[Derek Dougan]], who asserted that he "never heard any Leeds player, or anyone else connected with them, offer bribes".<ref name="DT72">{{cite web |last=Tomlinson |first=Dave |url=http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/matches/19720508.htm |title=8 May 1972 – Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 Leeds United 1 |work=The Definitive History of Leeds United |access-date=16 August 2024}}</ref> Sprake, who said in court that he "couldn't remember" Bremner offering a bribe, later claimed that the ''Mirror'' paid him £7,500.<ref name="DT72"/>

Paul Harrison, one of Bremner's biographers writing in 2010, remembered Sprake as a rude and arrogant individual whose attitude was in sharp contrast to the friendliness and approachability of Revie, Bremner, and many other Leeds players.<ref>{{cite book |last=Harrison |first=Paul |title=Keep Fighting. The Billy Bremner Story |publisher=Black & White Publishing |location=Edinburgh |year=2010 |pages=2–3 |isbn=978-1-8450-2324-9}}</ref> Harrison quoted Bremner saying of Sprake that he should have "tried harder" and "concentrated more" on improving his game because, "instead of believing he was the best, he would then have made a decent keeper".<ref name="PH196">Harrison, p. 196.</ref> Bremner made it clear that he had little respect for Sprake because of "things he has done in his life", and pointed out that, among professional footballers, Sprake was "not one of the wisest or most respected".<ref name="PH196"/> Bremner acknowledged that Sprake was capable of pulling off some "unbelievable" saves, before adding that this was "as positive as I can get about the man".<ref name="PH196"/> Bremner went on to say what he thought about twelve other Leeds players and, in every case, his comments were very positive.<ref>Harrison, pp. 196–201.</ref> Comparing Sprake with David Harvey, Bremner said Harvey was the better goalkeeper because he was reliable.<ref name="PH199">Harrison, p. 199.</ref>

Sprake died at the age of 71 on 18 October 2016.<ref name=GuardianObit>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/oct/20/gary-sprake-obituary |title=Gary Sprake obituary |first=Peter |last=Mason |newspaper=The Guardian |date=20 October 2016 |access-date=21 October 2016}}</ref>