THE mother of Huddersfield Town coach Terry Yorath has died, aged 87.
The former Wales player and manager was at his mother's hospital bedside when she passed away on Thursday.
Mrs Mary Yorath, of Aberporth Road, Gabalfa, Cardiff, had suffered a stroke a week before and it was thought her condition was improving. But on Thursday lunchtime her condition worsened.
Terry's wife, Christine, said the family were heartbroken.
"Even though we knew she had been quite unwell it still came as a shock, especially because we thought she was going to get better," she said.
"Mary was a hard-working person. She was not a busybody in any way. She was unassuming and one of those people who just got on with things," she added.
" She worked throughout her married life and even had two or three jobs at one time. I know she worked in catering and had some cleaning jobs.
"She was a really nice lady."
Yorath, 54, had been in Cardiff while his mother has been ill.
But he was on the touchline for Town's 1-1 draw at Leyton Orient on Saturday.
He returned to south Wales after the game and is staying, along with sister Pauline, 60, who had been caring for her mother, and brother Dave, 56, until the funeral on Thursday.
Mrs Yorath's husband, Dai, who once had a few games with Cardiff City but mostly played district football, died several years ago.
The couple's nine grandchildren include Terry and Christine's children, TV presenter Gabby, 30, Louise, 29, Jordan, 18 and Daniel, who died aged 15 in 1992 of a heart condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
