Swansea City saddened by passing of former manager and player Terry Yorath

Swansea City is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former manager and player Terry Yorath at the age of 75.

One of Wales’s finest midfield players, Yorath became manager of the Swans in 1986, also making a solitary league appearance for the club.

He led the club to promotion from the fourth tier in 1988, and came agonisingly close to leading Wales to the 1994 World Cup finals.

As a player Yorath was best remembered for his spell at Leeds United, who he joined straight from school. He won a league title and was part of the squads that reached the FA Cup, European Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup finals in the early to mid-1970s.

After nearly a decade at Leeds, he moved to Coventry City and then Tottenham Hotspur. He also won 59 caps for Wales.

After a short spell playing in Canada, he returned to Yorkshire in 1982 as Bradford City player-coach and helped to build the unfashionable club into a strong unit, and he was deeply affected by the tragic events of May 11 when 56 people lost their lives in a fire at the club’s Valley Parade stadium. Yorath was among those who helped survivors to escape the inferno.

In May 1986, Yorath was appointed manager at the Vetch Field and he would also begin to manage Wales part-time 18 months later, while still at the Swans.

He led the Swans to promotion via the play-offs in 1988, but in February 1989 he left to return to Bradford City as manager.

He would, however, be back at the Swans 12 months later for a brief spell in charge before taking up the Wales international job on a full time basis and guiding them to the brink of qualification for USA 1994, only for a dramatic defeat against Romania to deny them.

Yorath also had spells in charge of Cardiff City, Sheffield Wednesday, Lebanon and Margate.

He will go down as one of Welsh football’s greats, and everyone at Swansea City sends their sincerest condolences to Terry’s family and friends at this sad time.