Sheffield United ready to install Speed as manager

Sheffield United are poised to unveil Gary Speed as the club's new permanent manager. United parted company with Kevin Blackwell after Saturday's 3-0 home defeat to QPR and Speed, who has been working as first-team coach, will be handed his first job as manager.

The 40-year-old is understood to have met with club chairman Kevin McCabe and chief executive Trevor Birch in Spain, where he was offered the role. Speed, a former Leeds, Everton, Newcastle and Bolton midfielder, who held the record of most Premier League appearances, 535, before being overtaken by David James and Ryan Giggs, joined the Blades initially as a player for £250,000 from Bolton in January, 2008.

Speed made 38 appearances for United, but his playing days were curtailed by a persistent back injury and he focused on his coaching duties towards the end of 2009.

Swansea were keen for Speed to replace Paulo Sousa as manager earlier this summer, but the Welsh club were refused permission to speak to him by the Blades, for whom the former Wales international is still registered as a player.

New day (slowly) rising – As Brasileirão gets underway, Brazilian football stumbles, rather than leaps into the future

The average Serie A crowd last year was 13,000 - comparable to Australia’s A-League.

by James Young

24 May 2013 04:31 PM

iBet: Mercedes and Hamilton to roar in Monaco

Monaco is a street circuit where driver ability is more important than anywhere else and if we take ...

by Gareth Purnell

24 May 2013 02:00 AM

On The Road at the Giro d’Italia: It sounds sadistic, but the team live for the mountain stages

Three weeks ago as I drove off the Eurostar, I remember thinking what a very long time it was until ...

by Martin Ayres

23 May 2013 05:29 PM

Most Viewed
Most Shared
Most Commented

Get your summer started with British Military Fitness

BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes

Visit York Nook Get reading

Prizes & offers Business videos

Visit York

Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world

Military Fitness Nook Get reading

Prizes & offers Business videos

Making reading fun for kids

Nook is donating eReaders to volunteers at high-need schools and participating in exclusive events throughout the campaign.

Military Fitness Visit York Get reading

Prizes & offers Business videos

Introducing the 'Get Reading' campaign

Get the latest on The Evening Standard's campaign to get London's children reading.

Military Fitness Visit York Nook

Prizes & offers Business videos

Enter the latest Independent competitions

Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.

Military Fitness Visit York Nook

Get reading Business videos

Business videos from commercial thought leaders

Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.

Military Fitness Visit York Nook

Get reading Prizes & offers

Recruiters

Johnny Marr talks relationships and reunions

He's worked with Modest Mouse, the Pet Shop Boys and Beck, to name a few, and recently released his first solo album. So why, wonders Johnny Marr, do people still hark on about The Smiths?

In pictures: After the flood

From Haiti to Britain, one man has captured the devastation of our increasingly deluged lands

Death becomes her: Meet the very modern mortician who champions 'cool' funerals

Death becomes her: A very modern mortician

Ever considered baking a loved one's remains into a cake or putting their ashes in fireworks? If so, talk to Caitlin Doughty, champion of the alternative death industry.