Terry Yorath: Former Leeds and Wales midfielder dies at the age of 75

Former Leeds and Wales midfielder Terry Yorath has died at the age of 75 following a short illness, his family have said in a statement.

Born in Cardiff, Yorath, the father of BBC Sport presenter Gabby Logan, played a big part in the Leeds team under Don Revie, winning the First Division title, before spells with Coventry, Tottenham and Bradford.

He won 59 Wales caps as a rugged midfielder between 1969 and 1981 before taking charge of the Wales national team in 1988.

Yorath was a member of that exclusive club of footballers who have played for and managed their country and was a penalty kick away from leading Wales to the 1994 World Cup. Under Yorath, Wales reached their then-highest FIFA ranking of 27 in August 1993.

Speaking on behalf of the family, his children said: "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."

A statement from Leeds United read: "Everyone at Leeds United is devastated to learn of the passing of club legend Terry Yorath.

"Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Terry's family, friends and former teammates at this incredibly sad time. Rest in peace, Terry."

Yorath was born in Cardiff in March 1950 and signed professional forms for Revie's Leeds at the age of 17.

At first he found it difficult to find a place in a Leeds midfield featuring Billy Bremner and Johnny Giles, and was on the bench for the FA Cup final defeat to Sunderland in 1973. That same year he did start in the European Cup Winners' Cup final loss to AC Milan.

But Yorath was a key member of Leeds' 1973-74 championship-winning team as England-bound Revie marked his final season at Elland Road by beating Liverpool to the title by five points.

The following season Yorath became the first Welshman to play in the European Cup final when Leeds lost 2-0 to Bayern Munich in Paris.

But Yorath, by now captain of a Wales team which would reach the quarter-finals of Euro '76, would move on to Coventry for £125,000 in 1976.

He was captain of a Coventry team that spent an entire first division season in the top 10 - the Sky Blues eventually finishing seventh - before joining Tottenham for £300,000 in 1979.

Yorath wound his career down at Vancouver Whitecaps in Canada and at Bradford, where he became assistant manager to his former Leeds team-mate Trevor Cherry.

He was at Bradford in 1985 when 56 fans were killed by a fire at their Valley Parade home, Yorath himself injured when he was forced to jump out of a window after evacuating supporters from a bar.

After winning promotion at Swansea from the old fourth division, Yorath was appointed part-time manager of Wales.

He combined managerial roles at Swansea and Bradford with the national job before concentrating on Wales in 1991.

At the start of the 1992 World Cup campaign he suffered personal tragedy when his son Daniel died at the age of 15 from an undetected heart condition while playing football in the back garden.

The father of three other children, his daughter Gabby Logan became a well-known broadcaster and television presenter.

After World Cup heartbreak ahead of 1994 and his departure from Wales, Yorath managed Cardiff, the Lebanon national team, Sheffield Wednesday and Margate.

Yorath also had several coaching jobs elsewhere, but he never hit the heights that almost carried Wales to a World Cup on a tide of emotion.

As well as daughters Gabby and Louise and son Jordan, he is survived by his former wife Christine, who he divorced in 2007, and three grandchildren.