Gary Speed dead.

[Letters]

I wish the NoTW were alive to see this, they'd have been splaffing over this although I guess the good people at The Sun et al will rake over this for weeks.

Sad news, was watching BBC when the story broke and initially it sounded like maybe a sudden death a la Stephen Gately but then it emerged he'd taken his life. It's natural to ask why when on the face of it he had it all going for him. I'm sure the story will emerge in time.

RIP

[IBK]

Footballer Joey Barton at centre of controversy after describing suicide as 'selfish' following death of Gary Speed
Barton bombarded with complaints... but instead of apologising brands critics as having 'half a brain'
Suicide counselling group brands his comment 'sick'

By Kerry Mcqueeney

Last updated at 10:27 AM on 29th November 2011

Comments (204) Share

'Insensitive': Joey Barton described suicide as a 'selfish' act
Footballer Joey Barton was at the centre of controversy today over comments he made on Twitter about the death of Gary Speed, describing suicide as a 'selfish' act.

Despite an outcry from other users on the social networking site, the QPR captain has refused to apologise for his 'insensitive' comments.
Welsh football legend Gary Speed was tragically found hanged at his home on Sunday morning in what is thought to have been suicide.
Like countless others, Barton took to Twitter to speak of his shock at Speed's death and to pay tribute to him.

He posted: 'Just hearing about Gary Speed, to say am shocked is an understatement.
'My thoughts are with his family and friends. Really sad news.'
However, his tributes were then swiftly followed - with astonishingly tactless timing - by his views on suicide.

More...20 years at the top of his game: The life and times of Gary Speed
Gary Speed 1969-2011: A devastating day for football as Wales boss dies at 42
Jamie Redknapp: Athlete, goalscorer and a rival I got to know as a Top Man
Gary Speed didn't argue with his wife and he wasn't depressed: Suicide footballer had a happy marriage, says agent
Giggs leads the tributes to Gary Speed as football is left in shock

The outspoken footballer added: 'Suicide is a mix of the most tragic, most selfish, most terrible (and I want to believe preventable) acts out there.'
As Twitter users bombarded Barton in an online backlash, the star - unrepentant - branded his critics as having 'half a brain' instead of apologising for his offensive comments.
He added: 'Feedback on here, small minority as usual strongly disagree with what I said. If they read carefully or had half a brain, they'd understand.'


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...#ixzz1f6asCGXJ

He's right.

[Cripps_orig]

Pretty much my thoughts on it as well.

[Ollie the Optimist]

He's right.

yes and no. he is right in the fact that it is selfish as you leave kids without a parent, and if you jump in front of a train etc you ruin the drivers life too as they hit the person.

but if you are driven to suicide, its because you are ill, when you are ill you cant see anything straight. everyone seems against you and you feel as if you can do no right hence the reason to end it all.

[Coney]

If Barton jumped in front of a train, I would not regard that as selfish - rather a repentence of his cuntish existence so far.

[Letters]

He's right.

He basically is but is this really the time to be saying it in a public way which could further distress his family?

[Syn]

Depression is pathetically over-diagnosed. It seems every attention-seeking rich kid is given antidepressants. But when real, depression often can't be solved by just 'manning up'. It's an illness. It's all well and good to try to rationalise the impact of your potential death when you're fit and fine but it's a pointless comparison.

In either case, whatever his thoughts about suicide, Joey Barton - as a footballer in the public eye whose comments are bound to attract attention - should keep his thoughts to himself. And that is the bottom line.

[Cripps_orig]

He basically is but is this really the time to be saying it in a public way which could further distress his family?

Is there ever a right time though? There needs to be some realism here. Bartons a cunt but hes a right cunt this time.

[Ollie the Optimist]

Is there ever a right time though? There needs to be some realism here. Bartons a cunt but hes a right cunt this time.

you are right in the fact that there is probably not a right time but barton needs to get a brain. posting these comments 6 hours after the news broke? thats just fucking stupid, or he did it cos he wanted to cause a storm

[Letters]

you are right in the fact that there is probably not a right time but barton needs to get a brain