his international debut as an 18-year-old against Scotland on 20 November 1963. Sprake won 37 caps for Wales between 1963 and 1974. After football A back injury brought Sprake's career to an end at the age of 30, the injury resulting from a near fatal blood clot in his back which forced him to undergo spinal fusion surgery. His severe back problems have been largely blamed on regular injections of cortisone he was given during his early career at Leeds. After retiring, Sprake underwent seven operations on his back. He subsequently kept his profile low, returning to his native Wales. He was paid £7,500 by the Daily Mirror to make allegations against former Leeds manager Don Revie and club captain regarding match-fixing, but refused to repeat the allegations under oath in court. Wolverhampton Wanderers' Derek Dougan asserted that he heard no mention of the bribes. Following his retirement, Sprake worked as a salesman for a short period before becoming a borough council training officer in Solihull, a job which he remained in for over 14 years. His biography, Careless Hands: The Forgotten Truth of Gary Sprake by Tim Johnson and Stuart Sprake (his nephew), was published in 2006. In November 2009 Sprake was given an award by the Football Association of Wales for his contribution to Welsh football during the 1960s and 1970s. Sprake died at the age of 71 on 18 October 2016. Honours Leeds United Football League Second Division: 1963–64 Football League First Division: 1968–69 Football League Cup: 1968 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup: 1968, 1971 FA Charity Shield: 1969 References External links 1945 births 2016 deaths Welsh footballers Wales international footballers Wales under-23 international footballers Footballers from Swansea Leeds United F.C. players Birmingham City F.C. players Association football goalkeepers English Football League players FA Cup Final players