Wales football manager Gary Speed has died, aged 42

Wales football administrator Gary Acceleration has died at the age of 42.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has told the BBC it appears Speed, the civic administrator for about a year, asleep himself.

Speed said he was satisfied with his first 10 games in charge of Wales

Cheshire Police accepted he was activate asleep at 07:08 GMT at his home in Huntington, Chester. They said there were no apprehensive circumstances.

Former Wales aggregation acquaintance Ryan Giggs said: "Words cannot activate to alarm how sad I feel at audition this abominable news."

He said: "Our thoughts are with his ancestors at what accept to be a actual difficult time for them."

The FAW said: "We extend our sympathies and condolences to the family.

"We ask that anybody respects the family's aloofness at this actual sad time."

The FAW added: "That this tragedy should accept overtaken anyone so adolescent and accomplished is a huge accident not alone for his ancestors and accompany but a nation as a whole."

Speed, who was awarded the MBE in the 2010 Birthday Honours, leaves a wife and two children.

Phil Pritchard, FAW president, said they would do "whatever we can" to advice Speed's family.

In a statement, Cheshire Police said: "At 7.08am on Sunday 27th November Cheshire Police was abreast of a abrupt afterlife at an abode in Huntington in Chester.

"Officers went to the arena area a 42-year-old man was activate dead.

"The next of kin accept been abreast and accept accepted the character of the man as Gary Speed.

85 caps

"There are no apprehensive affairs surrounding the afterlife and the ancestors accept requested that they are larboard in accord to ache at this difficult time."

Police said a ancestors accolade will be issued later.

Speed had appeared on BBC1's Football Focus actualization on Saturday afternoon, just hours afore his death.

Footballers, celebrities and politicians began arising tributes aural account of the news.

Former Wales aggregation mate, Robbie Savage, Tweeted: "The apple has absent a abundant man in Gary acceleration I'm devastated batten to him bygone morning why ! Why. Why !! I'll absence him so abundant x

"He appear to watch carefully 3/4 weeks ago I top fived him in the foreground row he admired the actualization ,he admired activity he admired his ancestors ! Devastated".

Former Wales aggregation acquaintance Ryan Giggs said: "I am absolutely devastated. Gary Acceleration was one of the nicest men in football and anyone I am honoured to alarm a team-mate and friend.

"Words cannot activate to alarm how sad I feel at audition this abominable news. It goes afterwards adage my thoughts are with his ancestors at this abundantly sad time."

First Minister Carwyn Jones said: "I'm acutely afflicted to apprehend about the afterlife of Gary Speed.

"This is adverse account and our thoughts are with his ancestors at what accept to be a actual difficult time for them."

Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan tweeted: "This is a sad day for football and for anybody in Wales.

"Gary Acceleration served club and country as a amateur and administrator with abundant distinction."

Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Conservatives leader, said: "Gary Acceleration was abundantly able and I - forth with millions of others - will consistently bethink him as a fable in the bold of football."

'Never be forgotten'

Welsh Liberal Democrats leader, Kirsty Williams, said: "It is a terrible, abhorrent shock. A tragedy for the Acceleration ancestors and a tragedy for Welsh football."

Plaid Cymru baton Ieuan Wyn Jones said the "whole nation is in shock", adding: "He will never be forgotten."

At the Liberty Stadium in Swansea - area the home ancillary were arena Aston Villa a minute's blackout followed by a minute's acclaim was held.

Speed, built-in in Mancot, Flintshire, took over the Wales job in December 2010, and beforehand this month, said the side's accelerated advance had exceeded all expectations.

A 4-1 affable win over Norway represented a third alternating win for Wales, and Speed's fifth in 10 amateur as manager.

At the time, he said: "We've progressed added than I'd accept anticipation in this amplitude of time but we've still got a lot of plan to do."

'Stunned and saddened'

Speed won 85 caps for his country during a 14-year all-embracing career.

He was accustomed the top job in Welsh football admitting alone accepting four months authoritative experience.

Speed began his arena career at Leeds United afterwards advancing through the abecedarian ranks, and was allotment of the ancillary that won the endure Football League appellation in 1992, afore the addition of the Premier League.

A Leeds agent said the club was "stunned and saddened" by the news.

He was handed his Wales admission as a 20-year-old in the 1-0 affable win over Costa Rica in May 1990.

He larboard Leeds in 1996 afterwards 312 appearances to accompany Everton - who he went on to captain - in a £3.5m move.

Seven goals

Newcastle followed, in a £5.5m about-face in 1998. During his six years with the Magpies, he suffered two FA Cup final defeats, but enjoyed a aftertaste of Champions League football.

He again spent four years with Bolton Wanderers afterwards accordant a £750,000 move.

Speed became the aboriginal amateur to ability 500 Premier League appearances.

He retired from all-embracing assignment in 2004, accepting denticulate seven goals and captaining his country 44 times.

Speed's final actualization came in 3-2 Apple Cup condoning defeat by Poland in October 2004.

His account of 85 caps is a almanac for an outfield player.

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Rugby: Quins hold off Exeter for ninth straight win

Harlequins (9) 19

Tries: Brown Cons: Evans Pens: Evans 4

Exeter (0) 13

Tries: Rennie Cons: Mieres Pens: Mieres 2

League leaders Quins were pushed all the way by Exeter afore accepting their ninth beeline win in all competitions.

Despite traveling 9-0 down at the breach to the cossack of Nick Evans, Exeter were far from outclassed and were alert baffled abutting to the Quins line.

Chiefs took a 13-9 advance afterwards a move which started in their own 22 was angled off by Bryan Rennie.

But the try sparked Quins into activity and abundant burden concluded with Mike Brown traveling over afterwards a aggregation to win it.

Quins struggled to cope with the able Exeter backpack in the aboriginal bisected and had to alarm aloft all their arresting commonsense to accumulate the Chiefs at bay.

The hosts were bargain to 14 men if lock George Robson apparent his 100th actualization for the club with a chicken agenda for an off-the-ball incident.

Chiefs bootless to accomplish the a lot of of their afterwards advantage but eventually took the advance through Rennie who went over afterwards Matt Jess had been captivated up two metres out.

A regalvanised Quins at endure went on the abhorrent and a surging advance concluded with Karl Dickson's off-load sending full-back Brown abolition through the defence for a accomplished try.

Exeter remained audacious and affected a alternation of scrums abutting to the Quins band but the hosts captivated out afterwards what had been their stiffest claiming of the season.

Harlequins rugby administrator Conor O'Shea:

"We had to dig in out there, and to appear aback as we did and account 10 quick credibility afterwards falling abaft speaks volumes for the attitude of the players.

"It was not the prettiest of amateur because there was a abridgement of tempo, but again we realise that teams will appear actuality to stop us playing."

Exeter Chiefs arch drillmaster Rob Baxter told BBC Radio Devon:

"I anticipate a lot of of the stats will say that we should accept won.

"I've got some frustrations with some areas out there, but ultimately you've got to attending above that.

"Making it about the officialling doesn't advance you as a side. What does is searching a the things you can control."

Harlequins: Brown, Stegman, Lowe, Turner-Hall, S. Smith, Evans, Dickson, Marler, Brooker, Johnston, Kohn, Robson, Robshaw, Wallace, Easter.

Replacements: Gray for Brooker (49), Fa'asavalu for Wallace (49). Not Used: Buchanan, Sinckler, Vallejos, Bolt, Clegg, Hooper.

Sin Bin: Robson (29).

Exeter: Arscott, Rennie, Naqelevuki, Shoemark, Jess, Mieres, Thomas, Sturgess, Whitehead, Andress, Hayes, Hanks, Johnson, Scaysbrook, Baxter.

Replacements: Tatupu for Shoemark (44), Barrett for Thomas (16), Moon for Sturgess (75), Clark for Whitehead (59), Tui for Andress (46), Bentley for Hanks (75), White for Johnson (63). Not Used: Steenson.

Att: 12,395

Ref: Sean Davey (RFU).

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Cricket: Kevin Pietersen guides England to Twenty20 win in India

Twenty20 international, Kolkata:

England 121-4 (18.4 overs) beat India 120-9 (20 overs) by six wickets

Pietersen hit five fours and three sixes during his entertaining innings'

Kevin Pietersen alternate from abrasion to adviser England to a six-wicket Twenty20 achievement over India and end the team's accident run in the tour's endure match.

The above captain absent Tuesday's fifth one-day all-embracing with a burst deride but was anesthetized fit.

Pietersen was alone on one but went on to bang 53 from 39 balls, including a huge switch-hit six.

Earlier, Steven Finn took 3-22 and Ravi Bopara affective two wickets as India were belted to 120-9 in Kolkata.

After Pietersen anesthetized a exercise analysis to be called in the side, England absent the bung and fielded first, acquisitive to acknowledgment to acceptable means afterwards their 5-0 ambuscade in the one day series.

Finn, England's outstanding aerialist in India, opened the bowling and addled afterwards alone three assurance as Ajinkya Rahane belted abaft and Craig Kieswetter took a accomplished catch.

The wicketkeeper was at abounding amplitude but took the brawl appropriate at the top of his gloves, and took a additional bolt an over afterwards as Tim Bresnan drew Robin Uthappa into a apart shot.

Suresh Raina kept the scoreboard active over, hoisting England captain Graeme Swann for a big six to accompany up India's 50 in the eighth over, but two wickets in two assurance from the accomplished Finn larboard India at 74-6.

When Ravi Bopara bowled Yusuf Pathan and Praveen Kumar with some about-face swing, it was larboard to India captain Mahendra Dhoni to add some much-needed catalyst to the innings.

Dhoni hit a six off Jade Dernbach in the final over but was run out off the endure brawl of the innings for a black 21 as India acquaint 120.

It was the aboriginal time the India captain had been absolved during England's tour.

England openers Craig Kieswetter and Alex Hales fabricated a active acknowledgment afore Kieswetter was bent by Manoj Tiwary afterwards miscuing Ravindra Jadeja top into the air.

That brought Pietersen to the crease, and he should accept been absolved on one if he chipped the brawl up, but Raina alone the adjustment adventitious and Pietersen anon set about authoritative India pay.

He hit a four with a 'Dilscoop' over wicketkeeper Dhoni's arch and again hit the attempt of the bout with a huge switch-hit six.

Hales was bent on the fence by Rahane off Yusuf Pathan but Samit Patel - answer up the adjustment to appear in at four - kept Pietersen aggregation with a flurry of accomplished shots of his own.

Pietersen went accomplished 50 but was assuredly absolved lbw by Raina to a brawl that looked as if it pitched alfresco leg stump.

Patel was out if he chipped Virat Kohli to awning but Bopara was able to beacon the acceptable run with eight assurance actual to accumulate England at amount one in the Twenty20 apple rankings.

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Arsenal shock Chelsea in eight-goal thriller

Van Persie (right) has scored 28 goals in 27 Premier League games in 2011

Robin van Persie's hat-trick aggressive Arsenal to an absurd achievement adjoin Chelsea as their accretion aggregate drive in a Stamford Bridge thriller.

The Gunners captain approved his accent to the aggregation by demography his account to an outstanding 28 goals in 27 Premier League amateur as Chelsea angled afresh afterwards their shock defeat at QPR endure week.

And it was a afflicted afternoon for Chelsea and England captain John Terry at the end of a anniversary in which has he faced allegations of ancestral corruption adjoin QPR's Anton Ferdinand - claims he angrily denies.

Terry denticulate to accord Chelsea the advance just afore half-time but again slipped crucially backward on to allowance Van Persie a ambition and a advance Arsenal never relinquished.

Frank Lampard had headed Chelsea in foreground afterwards 14 account but, in a bold broadcast with arresting errors, Van Persie put Arsenal aback in altercation from Gervinho's pass.

Terry's ambition looked to accept put Chelsea in ascendancy on the achievement of half-time but Arsenal's acknowledgment presented a acute case for Arsene Wenger's affirmation that letters of his side's annihilation accept been abundantly exaggerated.

Andre Santos equalised and the outstanding Theo Walcott put Arsenal advanced for the aboriginal time afore Juan Mata's amazing bang set up the afterpiece to an arresting encounter.

Terry absent his basement to acquiesce Van Persie to chase bright for Arsenal's fourth afterwards 85 account afore the Netherlands striker completed a additional acute adjoin Chelsea by beating his third accomplished Petr Cech abysmal into abeyance time.

Wenger's agrarian celebrations with his players and backroom agents told the Chelsea 3-5 Arsenal adventure - and fabricated it eight wins in Arsenal's endure nine games.

Arsenal accept been piecing their division aback calm afterwards a poor alpha and the address of this win will accommodate added affluence of aplomb and self-belief.

For Chelsea drillmaster Andre Villas-Boas, this was his a lot of sobering moment in the Premier League and he looked abashed on the sidelines at the regularity with which the home defence was exposed.

Fernando Torres was recalled in abode of the abeyant Didier Drogba and he was alone denied a ambition in the aperture abnormal by Laurent Koscielny's action - a moment that set the accent for a bold abounding with advancing superior and blowzy with errors.

Walcott, in foreground of watching England drillmaster Fabio Capello, was Arsenal's agitator and alert delivered crosses that should accept produced goals in the aperture stages.

He presented Gervinho with what looked a assertive ambition alone for the striker to blaze advanced with the ambition at his mercy, again begin Van Persie bare at the far post, but the striker could not accumulate his accomplishment down.

Arsenal paid the amount for that balance if Chelsea took the lead. Mata was afforded too abundant amplitude by Santos and if the awkward Per Mertesacker absent his cantankerous Lampard timed his accession altogether to arch accomplished Wojciech Szczesny.

Lampard was again the architect with a admirable brawl to absolution Daniel Sturridge, but he scuffed a half-hit attempt beyond the face of goal.

For all their blemish at the back, Arsenal bedevilled 18-carat annoyance in advance and they carved through Chelsea with affluence to restore adequation nine account afore half-time. Aaron Ramsey's canyon was accomplishment and Gervinho took the altruistic advantage to set up Van Persie for a tap-in.

Terry, about inevitably, fabricated his mark on the bold if he put Chelsea aback in foreground abnormal afore the interval, sending a accolade accomplishment accomplished Szczesny from Lampard's corner.

If Chelsea hoped this draft would accept a adverse aftereffect on Arsenal, they were to be hardly mistaken as the Gunners surged advanced afterwards the restart.

Van Persie's attempt was blocked by the legs of Cech and the absorbing Ramsey was inches over afore Santos appropriate his greatest qualities may lie in advance if he exhausted the Chelsea babysitter with some accord to put Arsenal akin already more.

Walcott's affectation adapted a ambition and it appropriately accustomed afterwards 55 minutes. As he had done throughout, the accompaniment ran beeline at Chelsea's defence, benumbed two challenges and even falling afore battlefront an absolute attempt accomplished Cech.

Szczesny was again advantageous to escape with a chicken agenda for carriage down Ashley Cole alfresco the breadth - but the ball artlessly connected until the final whistle.

Mata put Chelsea aback on agreement with a swerving 25-yard shot, although a bent Wenger was assertive acting Romelu Lukaku had befuddled Santos in the build-up.

As Chelsea's admirers sensed a backward winner, they were abashed if Terry's blooper accepted crucial. He fell to the arena as he approved to retrieve a aberrant canyon from Florent Malouda, abrogation Van Persie to appearance his assumption by rounding Cech to score.

And Van Persie abundantly had the final chat with abnormal to go by artifice Chelsea's defence already added to adduce top accomplished Cech in foreground of Arsenal's blissful supporters.

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Stosur & Zvonareva into last four

Stosur & Zvonareva reach last four at WTA Championships

US Open champion Samantha Stosur secured her place in the semi-finals of the WTA Championships in Istanbul with a commanding 6-1 6-0 win over Li Na.

The White Group match was a decider to see who would join Victoria Azarenka in the last four but French Open winner Li succumbed in 66 minutes.

Vera Zvonareva also made the semis at the expense of Agnieszka Radwanska who lost 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 to Petra Kvitova.

Wimbledon champion Kvitova had already qualified and will play Stosur.

Zvonareva, who squeezed through via a better games percentage than Radwanska and world number one Caroline Wozniacki after they all recorded one win, will play Belarusian Azarenka on Saturday.

Poland's Radwanska, the world number eight who was the last player to qualify for the event, needed only to win a set to claim the runners-up spot in the Red group ahead of Russian Zvonareva, the rival she beat on Thursday from three match points down.

Radwanska was 5-2 ahead in the first set and at deuce in the eighth game, but eventually succumbed to the Czech number three seed Kvitova.

"I just found the rhythm when I really needed it," said Kvitova.

Australian Stosur proved far too strong for China's Li, with a highly effective top-spin serve and some powerfully struck groundstrokes.

Stosur has dropped only one set in her six matches against Li

"It was a very solid match for me, she said. "I felt really good out there again and hit lots of winners and moved well."

Azarenka, already sure of finishing top of her group, lost her third and last round-robin match 5-7 6-4 6-4 to France's Marion Bartoli, a substitute for the injured Maria Sharapova who withdrew after two matches.

Bartoli has now finished the 2011 season with 58 wins, second only to world number one Caroline Wozniacki, and played more matches than any other player - 82, two more than Wozniacki.

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Leicester comeback win stuns Sale

Leicester have now won their last four encounters with Sale

Sale 13-34 Leicester

Sale (13) 13

Tries: Brady Cons: MacLeod Pens: MacLeod 2

Leicester (3) 34

Tries: Tuilagi, Castrogiovanni, Flood, Ayerza Cons: Flood 4 Pens: Flood 2

Leicester denticulate 31 changing credibility in a appalling second-half improvement to defended a abundant bare bonus-point Premiership achievement at Sale.

Toby Flood's aboriginal amends put the Tigers in foreground afore Nick MacLeod hit two penalties and adapted Tom Brady's try in an error-strewn aboriginal half.

Tries by Alesana Tuilagi and Martin Castrogiovanni put the Tigers ahead, both array adapted by Flood.

Flood and Marcos Ayerza afresh beyond to defended Leicester their additional win.

The aftereffect takes the seven-times Premiership champions up to ninth in the table.

The Tigers' set section was ascendant throughout the bout but the aboriginal bisected was belligerent and error-strewn afore the visitors came animate afterwards the break.

Flood's 10th-minute amends was just accolade for his side's aboriginal ascendancy but Geordan Murphy about gave a try abroad if he dawdled with a bouncing brawl on the try line, alone for Brady to beating on as he went over.

Dwayne Peel helped Sale plan their way into the bold and although Leicester were adequate acceptable control their absent-minded errors put them beneath causeless pressure.

Two accelerated MacLeod penalties put the Sharks advanced afore Brady got his try in the 36th minute as Tigers switched off for MacLeod's tap and go. Sale's stand-off adapted the try for a 10-point advance at the break.

Leicester emerged for the additional bisected with purpose and, afterwards Flood booted an simple penalty, a archetypal catch-and-drive angry in Sale's defenders to acquiesce Tuilagi to bank in beneath the posts.

The Tigers' above line-out anon paid assets afresh if Castrogiovanni burrowed over and the Italy all-embracing was aswell active in Flood's try beneath the posts. Both array were adapted by the England amount 10.

Ayerza ensured the benefit point if he wrestled his way over afterwards addition superb line-out abduct by Tom Croft.

POST-MATCH VIEWS

Sale controlling administrator of action Steve Diamond:

"I anticipate afterwards 10 account of the additional bisected we realised area we are at.

"We had no brawl and the burden told. Against a ancillary like Leicester you can't compete.

"Our set-piece let us down, they denticulate from two active mauls 5 metres out and our scrum didn't attending actual abiding for a lot of of the game.

"We've got a lot to plan on and we got accomplished a assignment today, but that's how you learn."

Leicester administrator of rugby Richard Cockerill:

"We've had a bit of stick beyond the lath about aggregate in the accomplished six or seven weeks, but we've ashore to our accoutrements and we've formed through it and believed in the being we do.

"Tonight we got accepted right, but it's one win and there's a continued way to go.

"We've got London Irish next week, who are a actual acceptable side, and we charge to be added authentic in assertive locations of our bold because in added amateur you will get punished and not balance from that."

LINE-UPS

Sale: Miller; Brady, Leota, Tuitupou (capt), Cueto; MacLeod, Peel; Cobilas, Jones, Thomas; Lewaravu, Myall; Gaskell, Seymour, Vernon.

Replacements: Addison for Brady (72), Cliff for Peel (62), Imiolek for Cobilas (71), Ward for Jones (51), Buckley for Thomas (57), Powell for Lewaravu (51).

Leicester: Murphy (capt); Hamilton, Agulla, Smith, A Tuilagi; Flood, Harrison; Ayerza, Chuter, Cole; Skivington, Parling; Croft, Salvi, Waldrom.

Replacements: Morris for Murphy (73), Staunton for Flood (73), Grindal for Harrison (62), Stankovich for Ayerza (71), T. Youngs for Chuter (65), Castrogiovanni for Cole (55), Slater for Skivington (64), Mafi for Croft (71).

Att: 8,673.

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Wayne Rooney seen as Everton traitor - Sir Alex Ferguson

Manchester United bang-up Sir Alex Ferguson believes Wayne Rooney is still apparent as a "traitor" by Everton fans.

United appointment Goodison Park on Saturday afterwards what Ferguson admits has been a boxy anniversary afterward their thrashing by Manchester City endure Sunday.

And he is assured addition harder game, with aloft Evertonian Rooney, 26, abiding to accept a adverse reception."You apperceive what admirers are like, he's a traitor as far as they are concerned," he said."That's never traveling to change.

"Ferguson added:

"He's had alloyed success traveling to Everton. He's denticulate a brace of goals in antecedent amateur and gets booed as normal."He got appointed in one bold and I took him off because there was no way I was traveling to accord the adjudicator an befalling to forward him off."That's area the advertising about the arena in agreement of him accepting booed every time he makes a claiming comes into it."Ferguson will be alert of endure season's appointment at Goodisonwhere a United ancillary missing Rooney let blooper a 3-1 advance by acceptance two stoppage-time goals to draw 3-3 with David Moyes' team.

The Premier Alliance champions accept not won at Goodison back 2007.Ferguson wants his ancillary to balance from the demoralising 6-1 defeat by Manchester City, which leaves their rivals 5 credibility aloft them at the Premier Alliance summit.And he aims to body on an auspicious Alliance Cup win over Aldershot on Tuesday."It's been a boxy anniversary for everyone. It was a bad aftereffect [against City] but we accept to get over it - the fans, players, employees, staff.

Anybody was complex in the disappointment," the Scot said."We enjoyed Tuesday night but we charge to appearance ourselves on Saturday."On the City defeat, he said: "You can analyse it as abundant as you wish but it's not traveling to do us any good. My attitude is to absolutely overlook it - it never happened."What can appear is we can appearance Manchester United in its able light. We didn't do that endure anniversary but we can do that on Saturday."We accept done that appealing able-bodied over the years, [in 1996-97] we absent 5-0 to Newcastle and won the alliance by 10 or 11 points."We accept the adventures of accepting recovered many, abounding times and that's what you accept to do if you are a club like United.

"His ancillary may be afterwards accompaniment Ashley Young, who has a toe injury, and could cover midfielder Tom Cleverley, who afflicted in midweek adjoin Aldershot.Everton will be missing Royston Drenthe afterwards the Dutchman was beatific off in their Carling Cup defeat by Chelsea.Former United amateur Phil Neville and midfielder Tim Cahill will absence out because of injury.

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