Former Midfielder: I Had The Best Years Of My Life

By Matt Jones
March 4 2006

Veteran midfielder Gary Speed returns to St James' Park today with Bolton Wanderers, but rates his time on Tyneside as the highlight of his career. Speed made 284 appearances for the Magpies before moving to Bolton at the start of last season.

On his time at Newcastle United, Gary Speed commented:

"I have some great memories. Football-wise, I had the best years of my life up there, which says a lot considering the clubs I have been at. Newcastle are a fantastic club with fantastic fans and if any set of supporters deserves success, it is them.

"But no-one has a divine right to win trophies and if you look back to the successful periods under Kevin Keegan and Bobby Robson, it seems they need some kind of stability.

"It is disappointing for the club that another manager has come and gone but it does always seem to be a little bit chaotic up there."

On Alan Shearer and speculation on the Untied skipper's future, Speed added:

"Alan is a very single-minded individual and very much his own man.

"I know what drives him on and he will not be influenced by anybody.

"But he is also a very intelligent man and he would not go into anything light-heartedly."

AN ALAN SHEARER TRIBUTE SONG CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE

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