Former Wales football manager Gary Speed may have killed himself accidentally, a coroner ruled today.
In a narrative verdict, Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg outlined the cause of death, but said "the evidence does not sufficiently determine whether this was intentional or accidental".
The inquest at Warrington Coroner's Court heard that Speed texted his wife days before his death and "talked in terms of taking his life".
Speed, who played for Sheffield United, Everton, Newcastle, Leeds and Bolton, was found dead at his Cheshire home on 27 November last year by his wife Louise.
Mrs Speed told the inquest today that she had had a text conversation with her husband, 42, just days before he died.
The inquest heard he had talked in terms of taking his life but that he "dismissed it", saying that he was "excited" about the future with his wife and two sons.
Mrs Speed said the text referred to their "ups and downs" but went on about "how important the boys were" and about "moving forward".
The inquest heard that the couple "had words" on the night before he was found dead after they had been to a dinner party at a friend's house.
"We walked in the house and we had an exchange of words about something and nothing," Mrs Speed said.
In a statement read out after the inquest, the Speed family said the day of his death was the "worst day of our lives" but his memory "shines brightly in our thoughts".
