THE father of football legend John Toshack has died, aged 79.

George Toshack, who lived in Llandaff with wife Joan, also 79, passed away on Monday.

Ex-Cardiff City player John, who currently coaches Spanish club Real Murcia, said the whole family had been shocked by the death.

"Whatever virtues I may have I owe to my father," he said.

"He had been ill, but we thought he was getting over it, and then this. I was with him last week when I came back for the Wales-Hungary match and we really thought he was getting better.

"When I was a schoolboy player he would ferry me round to the grounds and watch from a distance. I am so grateful that he wasn't pushy like some of the parents today."

John's other family, including brother Colin, are also extremely upset at the loss of George.

"He made sports equipment for us when we were kids and always replaced the windows which I smashed playing football," said John. "Dad always saw that I had whatever I needed, but he never pushed me."

John scored 100 goals in 193 games for the Bluebirds. He spent his most famous playing days partnering Kevin Keegan at Liverpool and took Swansea City from the old fourth division to the top flight.

He was also Wales coach for one game, a 3-1 defeat by Norway in 1994.

His father George also leaves six grandchildren - Cameron, Sally, Craig, Sarah, Kelly and Ross - and three great-grandchildren, Megan, Lily and Holly.