Mark Hughes' son Alex found to have died from sudden adult death syndrome

A coroner concluded that Alex Hughes, the 38-year-old son of former Wales international Mark Hughes, died of sudden adult death syndrome after being found collapsed at his Macclesfield home on 19 June. Paramedics were unable to revive him, the inquest heard.

Alex Hughes was discovered by his two sons and had followed his father into football during a career that moved from playing to recruitment and analysis. He held roles at several clubs and worked alongside his father in coaching and performance roles before taking positions overseas.

Mark Hughes and his wife Jill issued a statement saying they were "totally heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected loss of our beloved son". In a statement released through the League Managers Association, Hughes said: "Alex was a wonderful son, brother to Curtis and Xenna, devoted husband and father to Jessica and their two beautiful children Sebastian and Leonardo. "Alex was player recruitment lead at Grimsby Town FC, and had many good friends and colleagues. He will be so deeply missed by us all."

Sudden adult death syndrome (SADS), also known as sudden arrhythmic syndrome, is recorded when a post-mortem cannot explain the death because the structure of the heart appears normal. The condition affects about 500 people in the UK every year. The British Heart Foundation said SADS "usually happens when a dangerously abnormal heart rhythm goes untreated and leads to a cardiac arrest". The foundation added that inherited heart conditions are "often the cause of SADS if the person who has it doesn't know they do".

Alex had a brief playing career on the books at Stockport and Wrexham before moving into back-room roles. He joined Blackburn in 2007 and worked as a performance analyst while his father was manager. He followed his father to Manchester City in 2008 and later worked with him at Fulham before forging his own path abroad.

He joined Grimsby Town in 2025 and served as player recruitment lead for the club. Grimsby Town's head coach David Artell described him as "just such a good guy", adding: "Life can be really cruel."

Wales legend Mark Hughes carried his son's coffin as he paid final respects. The funeral and public tributes followed the coroner's conclusion that the cause of death was sudden adult death syndrome.