Leeds United legend Terry Yorath has passed away at the age of 75 following a brief illness.
A gifted central midfielder, Yorath played for the Whites between 1967 and 1976, making more than 150 appearances during a hugely successful spell at Elland Road.
He was a key member of the Leeds side that lifted the First Division title in 1974 and also featured in teams that finished runners-up in both the European Cup and FA Cup during his time with the club.
After leaving Leeds, Yorath went on to play for Coventry City, Tottenham Hotspur, Vancouver Whitecaps, Bradford City, and Swansea City before eventually retiring from professional football. At international level, he enjoyed an outstanding career with Wales, earning 59 caps for his country.
In a heartfelt family statement, his children said:
“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 find comfort knowing he will be reunited with our brother, Daniel.”
Yorath also made his mark in management and coaching. He had a spell as Bradford City manager, worked as a coach at Huddersfield Town, and later took charge of Sheffield Wednesday among other clubs.
He is survived by several children, including BBC Sport presenter Gabby Logan. Logan was presenting Match of the Day on January 7 but left the programme early due to a family emergency.
Leeds United released a statement paying tribute to the club legend, saying:
“Everyone at Leeds United is devastated to learn of the passing of club legend Terry Yorath. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Terry’s family, friends, and former teammates at this incredibly sad time. Rest in peace, Terry.”
The Football Association of Wales also expressed its condolences, stating:
“The FAW is deeply saddened to learn of Terry Yorath’s passing. The thoughts of everyone connected with the association are with Terry’s family, friends, and loved ones.”
Newcastle United claimed a thrilling three points against Leeds United on Wednesday night, snatching a dramatic 4–3 Premier League victory courtesy of a last-gasp Harvey Barnes winner.
The Magpies twice clawed their way back from losing positions — trailing 1–0, 2–1, and 3–2 — to seal an unforgettable comeback in front of a raucous St James’ Park crowd, underlining the character and attacking quality within Eddie Howe’s side.
Despite the memorable win, the performance was far from flawless, and there were clear concerns for Howe to reflect on — most notably the displays of Malick Thiaw and Nick Pope.
Why Malick Thiaw must be dropped
Even taking Fabian Schär’s late injury into account, Thiaw should not retain his place in the starting XI after a torrid first-half showing.
The former AC Milan centre-back endured a nightmare 45 minutes, losing all six of his duels and failing to register a single tackle or interception, according to Sofascore, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin completely outmuscled him.
Thiaw’s evening went from bad to worse when he slipped in midfield for Leeds’ opening goal, allowing Calvert-Lewin to dispossess him and slip Brenden Aaronson through on goal. Shortly after, the German defender compounded his struggles by leaving his arm extended in the box, conceding the penalty that put Leeds 2–1 ahead.
Unsurprisingly, Howe hooked him at half-time, and such a disastrous display should see Thiaw removed from the starting lineup moving forward.
However, he was not the only Newcastle player whose performance warrants serious scrutiny.
The Newcastle flop who must be benched
Alongside Thiaw, Nick Pope should also be dropped following a worrying showing between the posts.
The England international has started Newcastle’s last three Premier League matches after returning from injury and displacing Aaron Ramsdale, but has conceded four goals across those games.
While Pope could do little about Leeds’ first two goals — Aaronson’s precise finish from distance and Calvert-Lewin’s spot-kick — his second-half display raised major concerns.
Sky Sports commentator Don Goodman described Pope as being “all over the place” after the goalkeeper came for a cross and failed to get close, leaving James Justin with a free header into an open goal — only for the defender to rattle the crossbar.
Moments later, Pope stayed glued to his line rather than narrowing the angle on Aaronson, allowing the American to calmly slot home and make it 3–2.
Statistically, the performance backed up the eye test. Pope conceded 1.16 goals more than expected based on xG and was charged with one error leading to a shot — the Justin chance — per Sofascore.
As the data shows, Pope has now let in more goals than expected across the Premier League season and has made two errors leading to shots or goals. By contrast, Ramsdale is yet to commit a single error in seven league appearances since joining on loan from Southampton.
With that in mind, Howe should hand Ramsdale the gloves for the upcoming FA Cup tie against Bournemouth, with an eye on the League Cup semi-final clash against Manchester City.
