Leeds icon and Wales hero, as a player and manager

TERRY 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.

- BY PHIL BLANCHE

Yorath, who has died aged 75, won 59 caps as a rugged midfielder between 1969 and 1981 before taking charge of the Wales national team in 1988.

Under Yorath, Wales reached their then-highest FIFA ranking of 27 in August 1993 and almost qualified for their second World Cup in the US in 1994.

Needing to beat Romania at home in their final qualifier, Wales were drawing 1-1 in the second half when Paul Bodin's penalty struck the crossbar.

Wales ended up losing 2-1 and, instead of being granted national hero status by taking the country to the World Cup, Yorath found himself out of work.

The Football Association of Wales did not renew Yorath's contract and appointed Real Sociedad's John Toshack as a part-time manager instead. But Yorath’s former teammate resigned after just one game with Welsh fans still upset at the dismissal of his predecessor.

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