Terry Yorath, the legendary Welsh footballer who captained his country to the verge of World Cup qualification in 1994, has died at the age of 75 following a short illness. A player known for his intelligence and professionalism on the pitch, Yorath's life was also marked by personal tragedy when his 15-year-old son Daniel collapsed and died while playing football in their Yorkshire home four years earlier.
Yorath, who won 59 caps for Wales as captain and guided the country to several major tournaments, including the World Cup qualifying campaign that fell just short of reaching the finals, will be remembered as a towering figure in Welsh football. His impact on the sport was "immeasurable" according to manager Craig Bellamy, who credited Yorath with instilling genuine belief among fans and players alike.
Despite struggling to break into his club team at Leeds in the 1970s, Yorath went on to enjoy a distinguished career with Coventry, Tottenham, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Bradford City. He also served as player-coach at both Bradford and Swansea before taking charge of Wales.
The Valley Parade fire that ravaged Bradford's home stadium in 1985, claiming the lives of 56 fans, left Yorath shaken but brave, forcing him to jump from a window after rescuing supporters from a club bar. The traumatic event was one he never fully overcame, revealing in an interview that he "didn't really cope" with his son's death.
Yorath's family released a statement about his passing on Thursday morning, describing him as a quiet and gentle man whose heart is now reunited with their deceased brother, Daniel. His daughter Gabby Logan had to leave her presenting duties on Match of the Day part way through due to "a family emergency."
Leeds United expressed its devastation at Yorath's death, while his former team-mates Mickey Thomas and Dean Windass shared tributes that highlighted his great character and sportsmanship. With a career marked by triumph and tragedy, Terry Yorath will forever be remembered as one of the greatest figures in Welsh football history.
Yorath, who won 59 caps for Wales as captain and guided the country to several major tournaments, including the World Cup qualifying campaign that fell just short of reaching the finals, will be remembered as a towering figure in Welsh football. His impact on the sport was "immeasurable" according to manager Craig Bellamy, who credited Yorath with instilling genuine belief among fans and players alike.
Despite struggling to break into his club team at Leeds in the 1970s, Yorath went on to enjoy a distinguished career with Coventry, Tottenham, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Bradford City. He also served as player-coach at both Bradford and Swansea before taking charge of Wales.
The Valley Parade fire that ravaged Bradford's home stadium in 1985, claiming the lives of 56 fans, left Yorath shaken but brave, forcing him to jump from a window after rescuing supporters from a club bar. The traumatic event was one he never fully overcame, revealing in an interview that he "didn't really cope" with his son's death.
Yorath's family released a statement about his passing on Thursday morning, describing him as a quiet and gentle man whose heart is now reunited with their deceased brother, Daniel. His daughter Gabby Logan had to leave her presenting duties on Match of the Day part way through due to "a family emergency."
Leeds United expressed its devastation at Yorath's death, while his former team-mates Mickey Thomas and Dean Windass shared tributes that highlighted his great character and sportsmanship. With a career marked by triumph and tragedy, Terry Yorath will forever be remembered as one of the greatest figures in Welsh football history.
... 75 isn't old but I guess you could say he lived life like he was playing on the pitch always 
... tragic story with his son, I can imagine how tough that must've been for him 
... loved reading about his career, so dedicated and professional, even when things weren't going well 
... hope his family is taking care of themselves right now 
... 56 fans lost in the Valley Parade fire, still a terrible tragedy from back then 
His legacy in Welsh football is immeasurable, but you can tell his story is also marked by so much personal tragedy, especially with Daniel's untimely death. 
It's heartbreaking that he never really coped with losing his son. 
The Valley Parade fire incident was a huge trauma for him and still affects people today. You can see how it affected his career and life. 
especially during this tough time. I remember watching him play for Wales and he was always so calm and collected on the pitch 
but behind the scenes, it's clear he was struggling with personal demons 
. I mean, can you imagine having a son who passes away at 15 and then struggling with grief even years later? That's just heartbreaking 
.
. I mean, can you imagine playing with your heart broken by losing your own son? 
it's like his career highs were matched only by his personal lows 
οΈ. and to think he went through that Valley Parade fire and came out the other side... so brave 
i'm sure he'll be deeply missed by everyone who knew him, especially the welsh football community 
. Who can forget the Valley Parade fire that ravaged Bradford's home stadium in 1985? That must have been traumatising for him 
. And yet, he still managed to go on and achieve so much with his clubs like Coventry, Tottenham, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Bradford City 
.
. Rest in peace, Terry Yorath 
... Wales only needed 1 more win to make it through 
that Valley Parade fire in '85 was a traumatic event for him 
... Yorath played for 13 clubs in his 19-yr career 
... and served as player-coach at both Bradford & Swansea 
. He must've been a really strong guy to keep going all these years, but I guess that's just what legends do, right? 
. And can you believe he'll never get to see Wales reach the World Cup finals again 
. can you believe his son died on the pitch like 4 yrs ago? still think about that all these years later is pretty sad. anyway, terry's legacy lives on through his team and fans, but i guess it's nice to remember him as a person too... not just the player-coach-wales captain 
sounds like total cop-out