Speare has his final fling

It's a trademark gesture to acknowledge the supporters and get them fired up before kick-off.

But the popular goalkeeper will do it for perhaps the last ever time at the Interlink Express Stadium this afternoon as he runs out for his testimonial match.

After six years at the club, the curtain came down on Speare's Stanley career at the end of last season.

Along the way, he has felt the despair of relegation, the elation of two championships and subsequent promotions, and a cup treble as they lifted the Marsden Lancashire Trophy, the League Cup and the UniBond Shield in 2002.

But a rollercoaster career may not have materialised at all had it not been for Speare's persistent schoolmates.

"One Sunday morning, when I was about nine years old, there was a knock at the door and a couple of lads who I went to school with were there and asked if I fancied a game of football," he explained.

"I wasn't really the sporting type at all, but they dragged me out and stuck me in goal. I didn't really want to play there, but it wasn't long before I was diving about and getting muddy.

"We got beat 9-0 - but I loved it - and within six months I was going to Everton School of Excellence every Thursday night."

Speare developed a natural aptitude between the sticks, which didn't go un-noticed. A club scout recommended that he make the step up to the next level, his manager agreed, while Speare just did as he was told.

The youngster was unfazed by the fuss surrounding his burgeoning talent, but influential words from mum Pat and dad Jimmy made him visualise the path that could lie before him.

"There was a time when I was coming home from school and just couldn't be bothered to go to training," Speare admitted.

"But my mum and dad told me what I had to do if I wanted to get anywhere in football and they have been major figures right the way through my career."

Speare soon rewarded his parents' faith in him by knuckling down, and after impressing in an FA National School game at Lytham, he was asked to sign YTS forms when he was just 15.

That meant the impressionable teenager would be working closely with Neville Southall. But while the Welsh international stopper was a hero to many in the blue half of Liverpool, Speare had a very different view.

"Neville wasn't a hero of mine. Certainly not at the beginning," he said.

"I thought he was really harsh. The slatings that were given out during training sessions were hard to get used to.

"But, at the end of the day, he was preparing me for what I would face in front of 20,000 or 30,000 people - making me mentally prepared for the things that I might hear from the terraces, and I'm glad of it now.

"After training with him, day in, day out, I would like to think he became one of my good friends.

"The advice he has given me and what he has prepared me for has been brilliant. He told me the important thing is to just keep playing and forget everything else."

Speare remained as a full-time trainee until 1997, even appearing on the bench in Premiership matches against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, Aston Villa and QPR before making his first team bow in a testimonial at Aberdeen.

"I had to scream and shout instructions at people like Anders Limpar and Duncan Ferguson, which was a bit weird," he said.

However, like all good things, his time at Goodison Park came to an end after Joe Royle signed Paul Gerrard for £1 million, putting Speare fourth in line to the number one jersey behind Southall, Gerrard and Jason Kearton.

"I was disappointed because Jason was looking to leave and Nev was coming to the end of his career," Speare explained.

"I thought an extra year would have made all the difference."

But Darlington were interested and the Liverpudlian signed for them on transfer deadline day.

The timing, though, couldn't have been worse.

"I was just faxing the registration papers across from Goodison and the press officer showed me a press release announcing Joe Royle's resignation," Speare said.

"That was even more of a kick in the teeth because the forms were signed and on their way, and there was nothing I could do. I was virtually a Darlington player."

Nevertheless, Speare's spell in the North East was sweet, albeit short.

At the end of that season, just two months after arriving, an offer for another term was tabled. But when the keeper returned from his summer break, the offer had been withdrawn ... via answerphone.

After a few training sessions with Bury, Speare joined Irish side Sligo Rovers, but his time there was even shorter.

"It was like Heartbeat! The place is so small that it's only got one bowling alley for the whole city," he said.

"Plus it was a full-time set-up but we didn't train until 6pm, so for most of the lads the routine was train, home, food, out on the ale then have the rest of the day to sleep it off.

"It wasn't my cup of tea really, and I was only there for about six or seven weeks.

"I took a chance and left, and fortunately Billy Rodaway wanted to sign me at Accrington."

Speare proved he had staying power when Rodaway, then his sucessor Wayne Harrison, vacated the managerial hot-seat to make way for John Coleman and his assistant Jimmy Bell.

The duo had transformed Ashton, taking them to within a whisker of promotion to the UniBond Premier Division, and brought the bulk of that side to Hyndburn as they made wholesale changes.

But Speare survived the cull and spent six seasons with Stanley.

"If you spend six years in once place then you've got to be enjoying something," he said.

"I was lucky to stay when John came. He wanted me to be part of it and I thank him for that.

"The people there are great. Eric (Whalley) has been great, and all of the directors.

"I would like to think I've made some close friends there. And the fans have been nothing but supportive, especially last year when I was out of the side. They told me to keep my chin up."

He did, and after being replaced by Jon Kennedy following his sending off on the opening day of last season at Aldershot, he went on to play a crucial role in the Reds FA Cup run, starring, in particular, against Bournemouth.

But the replay was bitter-sweet for Speare, who was substituted in the last minute of injury time - seconds before their penalty shoot-out.

"Only John knows what he was trying to do when he brought me off after 119 minutes," he said.

"To this day I still don't understand why he wanted to do it.

"But John's his own man and makes the decisions and it worked in the end.

"I'll never forget Paul Howarth's winning penalty as long as I live.

"I couldn't believe how fast I got up to the other end of the pitch to celebrate with him. I was watching the replays, wondering what the grey streak was then realised it was me!

"I went from being the man with the biggest 'cob-on' to the happiest man in the world."

This year has been something of a transitional one for Speare.

The goalkeeper has not only had to find a new club, making the move to Lancaster City, but he has ditched his bachelor days to marry long-term love Kerry two months ago.

Another chapter will close today as he says a final farewell to Accrington.

But not before the fans' favourite gets a rousing Stanley send-off.