The Wales manager Gary Speed has died at the age of 42, the Football Association of Wales has announced.

An FAW statement said: "The Football Association of Wales are sad to announce the death of the national team manager Gary Speed. We extend our sympathies and condolences to the family. We ask that everyone respects the family's privacy at this very sad time."

A spokeswoman for Cheshire police said: "At 7.08am today, Cheshire police was informed of a sudden death at an address in Huntington, Chester. Officers went to the scene where a 42-year-old man was found dead. The next of kin have been informed and have confirmed the identity of the man as Gary Speed.

"There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death. The family have requested that they are left in peace to grieve at this difficult time. A family tribute will be released at a later date but not today."

The death was announced shortly before Swansea's Premier League clash with Aston Villa at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday. With a number of players from both sides closely connected to the Welshman, there was speculation the match might be called off – but in the event it went ahead as planned.

A minute's silence was announced as two sides lined up on the field, which quickly gave way to a spontaneous round of applause and chants of "There's only one Gary Speed" inside the Liberty Stadium.

Four members of the national squad featured in the starting line-ups, with Ashley Williams, Neil Taylor and Joe Allen named in Brendan Rodgers' Swansea side, while James Collins started for the visitors.

Villa's manager Alex McLeish said that he would have had no complaints if the match had been called off, with members of his squad among the hardest hit by the news.

"There's three of them – James Collins is a Wales international, Shay Given is very close to Gary [from their time at Newcastle], and Jermaine Jenas played with Gary for a while at Newcastle, so these boys are very upset about this," McLeish told Sky Sports.

"We would have fully understood if Swansea had wanted to call the game off, absolutely. We'd have backed that if they wanted it off, but I think the proximity of it – TV cameras, policing, all that stuff – makes it difficult. That's what I'm hearing anyway."

Mark Bowen, a Wales team-mate of Speed for several years and later a coach with the national side, hailed his friend as a player, a coach and a person.

He told BBC radio 5 Live: "I'm totally stunned and devastated, you feel completely numb. It goes without saying that the plaudits for the man himself will come thick and fast.

"I played with him and I knew him as a colleague for many years. He was captain of Wales when the likes of Mark Hughes and Ian Rush were still playing and I think that tells you a lot about the man he was.

"I can't put into words what a fantastic guy he was. In that short space of time [with Wales] he showed the talent he had for working with the players.

"He had such a bright, fantastic future to look forward to in football but that is secondary... it's about his family and his boys."

Michael Owen, who lives nearby to Speed's family in north Wales, tweeted. "Just cannot believe the news regarding Gary Speed. We waved at each other a couple of days ago dropping our kids off at school. I'm numb. He has died aged 42. So sad. He lived local to me and we knew his family. He leaves behind 2 sons. Tragic."

Tim Cahill of Everton tweeted: "Gary Speed was the ultimate pro on and off the pitch. So sad to lose someone so special to Football,Friends,Fans,Family Rest in Peace mate."

Speed won 85 caps for Wales, more than anyone except the goalkeeper Neville Southall, and played for Leeds, Everton, Newcastle, Bolton and Sheffield United. He was appointed as Wales manager in December 2010. He had recently presided over a run of four wins in five internationals to climb to 50th in the Fifa world rankings.

As a player he won the championship with Leeds in 1992 and was twice an FA Cup runner-up with Newcastle. He made nearly 700 league appearances in a 22-year professional career and held the record for most Premier League appearances, with 535, until 2009 when he was surpassed by David James. He retired from playing in 2010 before embarking on his first managerial role with Sheffield United.

Speed was awarded the MBE in the 2010 Birthday Honours, for his services to football, leaves a wife and two children.