He may be on loan from Burnley FC at the moment, but striker Sam Vokes is still making the local headlines after suggesting a fitting tribute to tragic Wales manager Gary Speed, who was found hanged in his Cheshire home last Sunday, having apparently committed suicide.

Sam scored twice in the last Wales match against Norway, which the British side won 4-1, and is now urging team mates to honour the progress Gary made with the team by sending them to the 2014 World Cup, according to the Lancashire Telegraph.

“It’s only two weeks since I last saw him and he was so positive and looking to go forward with the Welsh set-up,” the Clarets striker told Burnley FC reporter Suzanne Geldard.

“He was very upbeat and looking towards the next World Cup. He had big plans for that, and it would be a nice tribute if we could take that forward for him.”

Burnley manager Eddie Howe gave his own tribute to Speed, saying: “He was such a talented young manager. I’ve watched a lot of Wales games recently and he had transformed that team. It’s such a terrible loss for the football world really.”

Daniel Coysh