It will be an emotional afternoon for Leeds United on Saturday as Gary Speed’s championship-winning midfield team-mates gather together at Elland Road.
There will be a minute’s applause as well as a special commemoration video of Speed’s highlights as a Leeds player on the big screen before the match against Millwall, for which Gary McAllister, Gordon Strachan and David Batty will be in attendance.
Two wreaths will also be laid at both ends of the pitch by opposing managers Simon Grayson and Kenny Jackett in memory of the former United star, who was found hanged at his home in Cheshire on Sunday aged 42.
Both teams will be wearing black armbands, with the Leeds players and management’s sporting ‘Speed 11’, while there will be an official unveiling of the Gary Speed suite in the East Stand before the lunchtime kick-off.
Grayson’s side paid their own tribute to Speed in midweek with a 4-0 hammering of Nottingham Forest, with the first goal coming just as 11 minutes of continuous chanting of Speed’s name by the Leeds fans was coming to an end.
Jonny Howson, Luciano Becchio and Adam Clayton went on to add to Robert Snodgrass’ opener to give United their third consecutive away win.
But their form at home has been patchy by comparison, with just one win from the last six outings at Elland Road in all competitions.
Grayson’s men have actually conceded more goals than they have scored at home this season, while they were surprisingly beaten 2-1 by Barnsley last weekend to leave them nine points adrift of the automatic promotion places.
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