Gabby Logan has paid tribute to her late father Terry Yorath and given an insight into their final moments together in an emotional statement on Instagram.
Football was plunged into mourning on Thursday morning after it emerged that the Leeds legend had died following a short illness aged 75.
Logan had left Wednesday night’s Match of the Day broadcast halfway through due to what was described as a ‘family emergency’ by her replacement Mark Chapman.
She wrote on Thursday night: ‘Thank you for your messages of love and support today, it has meant the world to us. Our Dad a warrior on the football pitch, captaining club and country, a kind hearted and generous man off it, would have hated all the attention. (Well most of it).
‘The stories that have been shared by strangers with us today have been enormously comforting. He touched so many people’s lives.
‘We knew he had limited time, but it is still a shock. Yesterday afternoon [Wednesday] I sat by his bed in St James Hospital Leeds and we had a debate about whether roast potatoes were better with calves’ liver than mashed potatoes.
‘That was the meal he’d decided he wanted when he went home, tomorrow [Friday]. I left and went to work, he was looking forward to watching Newcastle v his beloved Leeds. He won’t go home tomorrow. But he is reunited with Daniel [Logan’s brother who died aged 15] and that will feel like home.
‘I am sorry he had to deal with so much pain, the tragedy of the Bradford Fire was forever in his heart and losing Daniel defined the second half of his life.
‘Thank you Dad for instilling your passion for fairness. Thank you for playing rounders, or making us race each other after dinner, even though Louise always beat me. Thank you for not making me pay you $1,865,986 after I kept losing at cards on double or quits, when I was eight years old.
‘Thanks for teaching me the value of money by challenging me to eat a pot of mustard at dinner in return for £5 so I could buy a pair of shoes I wanted when I was 12 (even though mum was horrified). Thank you for giving me a life long love of sport. Thank you for being a relentless tease with a wicked sense of humour.
‘And to the wonderful staff on J16 at Jimmys who cared for him with such tenderness, you are all Angels. I love you Dad.’
She also shared various photographs of Yorath in day-to-day life, including him spending time with the dogs, working in the kitchen, and speaking at her wedding.
Yorath’s death provoked an outpouring of loving comments as well as a much-derided contribution from former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys, who wrote: ‘Sad to hear the news of Terry Yorath’s passing. He was a warrior & won fans over wherever he played. He was great for us at Coventry & the reason I got Gabby a job at Sky. I had no idea who she was when we met but I knew her dad. RIP Terry. Your daughter did you proud.’
TNT Sports presenter Laura Woods led the criticism of that, writing: ‘Sorry… but what a t**t. Said with zero surprise.’ She later added: ‘Also want to add my respects to the thousands of others who are showing theirs compassionately to a much beloved broadcaster and her family. Sending all my love x.’
Born in Cardiff, Yorath played a big part in the Leeds team under Don Revie, winning the First Division title in 1973-74, before spells with Coventry, Tottenham and Bradford.
Yorath scored 11 goals in 199 appearances for Leeds over nine years from 1967, and received runners-up medals in the FA Cup, European Cup and Cup Winners Cup.
The midfielder also won 59 caps for Wales and was assistant coach at Bradford on the day of the Valley Parade fire in 1985, when 56 fans died and 270 were injured.
Yorath also managed Swansea, Bradford, Cardiff, Lebanon, Sheffield Wednesday and Margate – as well as Wales, coming close to qualification for the 1994 World Cup.
His death was announced at 8.20am on Thursday, hours after Logan was forced to leave Match of the Day mid-show after being informed of the family emergency.
He had three children in addition to Logan – Louise, Jordan and Daniel, but the latter died in 1992 aged 15 from a genetic heart condition while playing football with him.
His children said in a statement on Thursday morning: ‘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.’
The sporting legend was also described as a ‘devoted family man’ and a ‘loving and immensely proud grandfather to Reuben, Lois, Mila, Phoenix and Paloma’.
