The Welsh football community shed a collective tear recently at the loss of one of their greatest servants.

Former Leeds United, Tottenham Hotspur and Coventry City midfielder passed away in January 2026 at the age of only 75. Terry Yorath was also a lynchpin of the Welsh national team for many years

The highly-spirited Welsh side of the 70s seems to have lost quite a few of its stalwarts in recent year. Defender Joey Jones, keeper Dai Davies, and the effervescent winger Leighton James are all now ‘back in the dressing room’ so to speak. Cultured defender Rod Thomas also left the field of play in 2026.

That combative team featured the famous Yorath-Flynn-Mahoney axis in midfield – Terry Yorath, Brian Flynn and John Mahoney, cousin of John Toshack, another hero of that era.

But it was Yorath who was certainly the Leader of the Gang.

For me, that side always punched far greater than the sum of its parts. Household names in Wales but perhaps lesser known to modern fans of the Premier League  giants of today.

That midfield trio in particular provided a platform which almost took Wales to the 1978 World Cup finals, until Joe Jordan’s handy antics at Anfield in 1977, a year which also saw Yorath skipper Wales to victory over England at Wembley, with Leighton James scoring that day. 1980 saw him lead the Welsh to another famous victory over the English at Wrexham, a 4-1 triumph, with James once again a thorn in the English side.

And don’t forget that Wales reached the quarter finals of the European Championships back in 1976. Honest. Look it up. Yorath missed a penalty in a fiery play-off clash with Yugoslavia at Ninian Park, home of Cardiff City. A day when Yorath wore that famous red, yellow and greed kit which many Welsh fans continue to recall with great affection.

Yorath earned a reputation at club level as hard man; a useful addition to the famous Leeds side of the early 70s which was certainly not short of steel. Yorath may not always have been the first name on Don Revie’s team sheet but proved himself a dependable clubman over nine seasons. You don’t play in European finals and Wembley showpieces under Don Revie just by displaying a knack for kicking people, though perhaps it helped.

Yorath was the first Welsh footballer to play in a European Cup Final, by the way, in 1975 against Bayern Munich. As so often seemed to happen to Leeds back then though, the Yorkshire side fell at the final fence, going down to Bayern Munich in Paris.

Bayern's Swedish international defender Björn Andersson had his leg broken following a clash with Yorath that day, but no red card was shown. For Yorath, and Leeds, it was simply win-at-all-costs.

Yorath played a total of 199 times for Leeds United, popping up in many different positions. Think Paul Madely, though tougher. Yorath makes few apologies for the determination and commitment shown by that infamous Leeds side. Billy Bremner, Johnnie Giles, Jack Charlton, Paul Reaney. Yorath. These men didn’t take defeat kindly and would not just sit back and admire the skills of Georg Best, Peter Osgood and others of that era.

Yorath went on to captain Coventry City before a move south to Spurs saw him line up alongside the silky skills of Glen Hoddle and Ossie Ardilles. Decent company for the lad who started life in his grandfather’s home in Pontypridd Street, Splott, Cardiff eh?

Yorath inevitably later moved into senior management. He took charge of a Welsh side made up of glittering star names such as Ryan Giggs, Ian Rush Mark Hughes and Dean Saunders. Victories against Germany, Brazil and others marked a golden era.

But it was a lesser light, Paul Bodin of humble Swindon Town, whose penalty crashed against the bar for Yorath’s men in a vital World Cup tie against Romania in Cardiff in 1993. Consequently, Yorath did not lead his men to the USA in 1994. It was a blow from which neither he nor the unfortunate Bodin really recovered.

Off the field, Yorath knew heartache. His wonderful story ‘Hard Man Hard Knocks’, published in 2004, describes the tragic loss of his son Daniel in 1992, and the earlier events at the Bradford City fire in 1985, where he was player-coach.

Yorath is respected beyond Wales. His reputation and achievements are remembered fondly by followers of the clubs he represented, especially Leeds United.

On 17 January 2026, as Bradford City met Cardiff City in a League 1 match, both sets of fans paid tribute to the great man. In a packed arena, home fans remembered his time at their club during the above fire. 2,000 Cardiff City supporters in attendance saluted a Welsh hero, chanting his name. Yorath also briefly managed the Welsh club in the mid-90s.

Cardiff City repeated the tribute in their next home game, a 1-1 draw with Stockport County. Yorath also had spells in the managerial seat at Swansea City, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday. Wales and Yorkshire were justpart of the man’s DNA, I guess.

At his funeral, the coffin was adorned with flowers in Leeds United’s white, yellow and blue colours, alongside a floral arrangement in the shape of the Welsh flag. Many of Yorath’s former colleagues were in attendance.

Speaking after the funeral, presenter and comedian Elis James, says it was an “honour” to have read a eulogy to Yorath.

“His Wales team of the 80s and 90s is what made me fall in love with football,” James explained.

“He was part of every big moment in Welsh football between the 70s and the 90s, either as captain or manager.

“For me, he’s on the Mount Rushmore of Welsh football."

Gorffwysa mewn hedd Terry.