Gabby Logan shares statement after football icon dad Terry Yorath dies

Heartbroken Gabby Logan has shared a statement on social media after the death of her father, Terry Yorath. 

The presenter, 52, and her siblings announced on Thursday morning that their father Terry had died at the age of 75 after a short illness. 

Taking to Instagram to share a series of photos of Terry in his youth, Gabby said her 'heart is broken' by the loss. 

She wrote: 'Rest in peace Dad. Our hearts are broken your love and legacy lives on.'

Gabby was forced to leave Match of the Day mid-show after being informed of a family emergency on Wednesday evening, hours before the family's announcement.

The BBC Sport host left midway through the Premier League highlights programme, with her co-host, Mark Chapman, stepping in as a replacement, who explained that she had departed due to a 'family emergency'.

Mark told viewers: 'We'll talk about that game [Manchester City v Brighton] in just a moment, sadly Gabby has got a family emergency which she's had to rush off and deal with.

'So she's gone to do that and I've come from the radio to finish the show.'

Terry's death was announced at 8.20am on Thursday, hours after Gabby was forced to leave Match of the Day mid-show.

He had three children in addition to Gabby - Louise, Jordan and Daniel, but the latter died in 1992 aged 15 from a genetic heart condition while playing football with him.

Terry's children said in a statement: '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'.

'Everyone at Leeds United is devastated to learn of the passing of club legend Terry Yorath,' his former club said in a statement. 'Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Terry's family, friends and former team-mates at this incredibly sad time.'

The Welsh FA added: 'The FAW is deeply saddened to learn of Terry Yorath's passing. The thoughts of everyone connected to the association are with Terry's family, friends and loved ones.'

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BBC commentator Ian Dennis tweeted: 'Thoughts with Gabby and her family. Had the pleasure of working with Terry. Remember being spellbound of his experiences coaching in Lebanon for two years.

'He had a wicked sense of humour, I still play the trick he played on me about 20 years ago! RIP Terry.'

And former Bradford striker Dean Windass tweeted: 'Sad news, great man and a gentleman. Thoughts go to his family RIP.'   

Terry 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.

Terry won 59 caps as a rugged midfielder between 1969 and 1981 before taking charge of the Wales national team in 1988.

Under Terry, 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, Terry found himself out of work.

The Football Association of Wales did not renew Terry's contract and appointed Real Sociedad's John Toshack as a part-time manager instead.

But Terry's former team-mate resigned after just one game with Welsh fans still upset at the dismissal of his predecessor.

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

At first he found it difficult to find a place in a Leeds midfield featuring Billy Bremner and Johnny Giles, and was on the bench for the FA Cup final defeat to Sunderland in 1973. That same year he did start in the European Cup Winners' Cup final loss to AC Milan.

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But Terry was a key member of Leeds' 1973-74 championship-winning team as England-bound Revie marked his final season at Elland Road by beating Liverpool to the title by five points.

The following season Terry became the first Welshman to play in the European Cup final when Leeds lost 2-0 to Bayern Munich in Paris.

But Terry, by now skipper of a Wales team which would reach the quarter-finals of Euro '76, would move on to Coventry for £125,000 in 1976.

He was captain of a Coventry team that spent an entire first division season in the top 10 - the Sky Blues eventually finishing seventh - before joining Tottenham for £300,000 in 1979.

Terry wound his career down at Vancouver Whitecaps in Canada and at Bradford, where he became assistant manager to his former Leeds team-mate Trevor Cherry.

He was at Bradford in 1985 when 56 fans were killed by a fire at their Valley Parade home, Terry himself injured when he was forced to jump out of a window after evacuating supporters from a bar.

After winning promotion at Swansea from the old fourth division, Terry was appointed part-time manager of Wales.

He combined managerial roles at Swansea and Bradford with the national job before concentrating on Wales in 1991.

At the start of the 1992 World Cup campaign he suffered personal tragedy when his son Daniel died at the age of 15 from an undetected heart condition while playing football in the back garden.

The father of three other children, his daughter Gabby Logan became a well-known broadcaster and television presenter.

After World Cup heartbreak and his departure from Wales, Terry managed Cardiff, the Lebanon national team, Sheffield Wednesday and Margate.

Terry also had several coaching jobs elsewhere, but he never hit the heights that almost carried Wales to a World Cup on a tide of emotion.

As well as daughters Gabby and Louise and son Jordan, he is survived by his former wife Christine, who he divorced in 2007, and three grandchildren.   

Gabby and her husband Kenny, 53, a former Scotland rugby player, live in Buckinghamshire and have two children, twins Reuben and Lois, 20.

Reuben has followed in his father's footsteps and plays for Sale Sharks after joining from Northampton Saints.

Gabby represented Great Britain in rhythmic gymnastics before moving into the television world.

She started presenting on Sky Sports in 1996 before moving to ITV and fronting their Champions League coverage.

Gabby joined the BBC in 2006, hosting Final Score and athletics programming including multiple Olympic Games' - also co-hosting Sports Personality of the Year.

She was named as one of the trio of presenters to replace Gary Lineker after the veteran broadcaster called time on the role following 26 years in the chair.