Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor is the latest figure to pay tribute to "legend" Gary Speed following the Wales international manager's apparent suicide.
The 42-year-old took his own life at his home in Cheshire yesterday morning.
"I just couldn't believe it," Taylor told Sky Sports News. "I've never known such an overwhelming outpouring of shock and grief at the loss of somebody who we least expected to be in that situation.
"He was just so popular, so friendly. I never heard a bad word ever about him. He was just full of life, a great legend of a player. His durability, his consistency, his quality.
"Every time I saw him he had a smile, be it if it was football, golf, racing. I'm just so terribly sad on behalf of everybody. He was just one of our finest ever members and I hate speaking of him in the past but all our sincere thoughts and condolences go to his wife Louise and sons Thomas and Edward."
The former Newcastle United midfielder's last match as coach was Wales's 4-1 win over Norway in the friendly fixture earlier this month.
Danielle Joynson
