A new 'talking bench' honouring football legend Gary Speed is to be installed outside Everton's new stadium, the Hill Dickinson Stadium. The bench, part of a nationwide initiative to encourage conversation and tackle loneliness, was welcomed by Speed's former teammate Neville Southall.
Southall said: 'You would never associate Gary with a bench, because he was a fella who seemed to have everything. But in many respects it's very apt. If you sit there and think everybody else's life is perfect, you can reflect on a man who was a wonderful footballer and a great manager - but still had his own problems.'
The bench bears the message: 'IN MEMORY OF GARY SPEED, EVERTONIAN, CAPTAIN, LEADER 1969–2011. A place for what is often unspoken. A place to sit, share and listen.' It will be located on the Budweiser Fan Plaza and includes a QR code linking to mental health support services, including Everton in the Community's The People's Place.
Dave Wycherley, vice chair of the Everton Fans Forum, said: 'We wanted to remember Gary Speed in the most constructive way, and we hope this bench becomes a lasting legacy. Problems feel lighter when shared, and Everton has always been a club where supporters mix, talk, and escape life's pressures for a while.'
The bench is part of the 'Legend on the Bench' charity, run by former Chelsea and Spurs star Micky Hazard, which aims to install suicide prevention benches across the UK. Each bench features a QR code linked to the person's life story and the message 'someone's always listening'.
