Tributes Pour in for Former Welsh Footballer Terry Yorath

Terry Yorath, a former midfielder for Leeds United and the Welsh national team, has passed away at the age of 75 after a brief illness.

Yorath began his professional career at Leeds United, where he made a remarkable impact over nine years, scoring 11 goals in 199 appearances starting in 1967. He later played for notable clubs including Coventry City, Tottenham Hotspur, the Vancouver Whitecaps, and Bradford City, concluding his playing career with a single appearance for Swansea City.

In addition to his club success, Yorath earned 59 caps for the Welsh national team. He was the father of BBC Sport presenter Gabby Logan and had three other children: Daniel, Louise, and Jordan. In a heartfelt statement, his children reflected on their father’s legacy, saying, “To most he was a revered footballing hero, but to us he was Dad; a quiet, kind and gentle man. Our hearts are broken but we take comfort knowing that he will be reunited with our brother, Daniel.”

Tragically, Daniel passed away at the age of 15 due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a genetic heart condition, while playing football at home with Terry.

During his time at Leeds, Yorath was part of the team that won the First Division title in 1974 and received runners-up medals in several prestigious tournaments, including the FA Cup, European Cup, and Cup Winners Cup.

After his playing days, Yorath transitioned into coaching, serving as player-coach at Bradford City and later taking on the role of assistant coach during the tragic Valley Parade fire in 1985, which resulted in the loss of 56 lives and left 270 others injured.

Yorath’s management career included stints with Swansea City, the Welsh national team, Bradford City, Cardiff City, Lebanon, Sheffield Wednesday, and Margate. He guided Swansea to promotion from the Fourth Division in 1988 and came close to leading Wales to the 1994 World Cup finals.

His contributions to football both on and off the pitch have left a lasting legacy.