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Russell Coughlin, the tough-tackling Swansea City midfielder of the early 1990s, has died aged 56.

Swansea-born Coughlin formed part of an iconic midfield partnership with John Cornforth in Frankie Burrows much-loved team having joined his hometown team at the start of the decade.

The moustachioed middle man was known as much for his robust protection of the centre of the Vetch Field pitch as he was for his notable passing ability in a team that came close to winning promotion to the second-tier for the first time since the John Toshack era.

Starring alongside the likes of Andy Legg, Jason Bowen, Roger Freestone and Des Luyttle, he endeared himself to supporters after a £30,000 move from Blackpool.

Coughlin had represented Wales at schoolboy and youth level after starting out with Manchester City before spells at Blackburn, Carlisle and Plymouth before heading back to South Wales, playing a total of 125 games and featuring in the European Cup Winners Cup games with Arsene Wenger’s Monaco.

Scoring two goals, he also lifted the Welsh Cup with the club before moving onto Exeter and Torquay where he ended his professional career at the age of 36 with more than 600 senior appearances to his name.