Our hearts are broken but we take comfort knowing Dad will be reunited with Daniel

Stellar career was touched by tragedy

- BY JEREMY ARMSTRONG

TERRY Yorath was hard as nails, an old-school football man who was respected throughout the game and an icon in Wales.

A hero on the field, he also saved lives when he was in the Bradford City dugout during the 1985 fire, helping fans to safety then having to jump out of a window to escape the flames.

But Terry, who has died aged 75, was also touched by tragedy at home when his son, Daniel, dropped dead aged 15 during a garden kickabout.

Yesterday, his family - including his daughter, BBC sports presenter Gabby Logan - said: "Our hearts are broken but we take comfort knowing that he will be reunited with Daniel."

Gabby, 52, was presenting Match of the Day on Wednesday when she had to leave due to the news. The family statement added: "To most he was a revered footballing hero but to us he was dad; a quiet, kind and gentle man."

Terry's first club was Leeds United, where he ended up making 199 appearances despite the competition for midfield places from Billy Bremner and Johnny Giles.

Managed by the great Don Revie, he won the league title in 1974 and also was a runner-up in the FA Cup, European Cup Winners' Cup and European Cup during his spell at Elland Road.

After nine years, he left in 1976 for Coventry and later played at Spurs, Vancouver, Bradford and Swansea.

Born in Cardiff, he is in the history books as the first Welshman to play in the European Cup final - paving the way for the likes of Ryan Giggs and Gareth Bale.

Terry played 59 times for Wales and captained them to the quarterfinals of the 1976 European Championship. He also led them to their only Wembley victory over England the following year, as well as wins against Brazil and Italy.

But the following year, his Welsh side just missed out on going to the World Cup thanks to a controversial penalty, awarded to Scotland in a qualifier.