I'm sorry but I've heard this many times and I just don't believe it. the idea that HOward took the training in the first place every day is fanciful. And then that he stopped cos he was so drunk, and that the captain had to take it instead, sorry I just don't buy it. What, Howard was so drunk he couldn't walk out onto a field at 11am every day, but was sufficiently recovered to deal with the national press every weekend without turning a hair? And the captain had to take the training, why him and not Colin Harvey or Adrian Heath? Sorry no.
And what, Howard forced him out, why? we weren't able to spend the money? i could understand it if we funnelled the Speed money into another signing, but we didn't we were set to sink like a stone when he left.
Dalglish has a long and undistinguished record for tapping up our players going back to Neville (the good one) and Asshead. I think he did the same here. NOt that I've got a problem with it in Speed's case, he was a good lad but he wanted a move in my view, and still loved the club. But at the endof the day, if he had wanted to stay at Everton surely he would have.