Manchester United legend’s son died of sudden adult death syndrome

An inquest into the sad death of 38-year-old Alex Hughes was opened and concluded at Cheshire Coroner’s Court in Warrington today, Wednesday.

The dad-of-two, originally from Wrexham and son of former United striker Mark Hughes, was discovered by his two sons on the floor of his bedroom unresponsive at their family home in Prestbury, Cheshire on June 19.

Cheshire coroner Victoria Davies opened an inquest into the death of Mr Hughes, who worked as Grimsby Town FC’s player recruitment lead, and previously held roles at clubs including Manchester City, Fulham, Blackburn and 1860 Munich.

It was heard that Mr Hughes was ‘found collapsed on the floor of his bedroom’ at around 4am in the morning by his two sons.

An ambulance was called and his children attempted to carry out CPR whilst waiting for the ambulance to arrive at their home.

Paramedics arrived on the scene but sadly Mr Hughes was pronounced dead the same day, the coroners court heard.

Coroner Davies said: “An inquest is requested due to the death being unknown, instead of unnatural.”

Referring to notes made following the postmortem, Ms Davies said that the doctor stated there was ‘no significant results’ with no signs of alcohol or drugs in his system at the time of death.

She added: “It was noted this is a sudden cardiac death.

“The cause of death should best be explained as Sudden Adult Death Syndrome.”

Coroner Davies provided further background on the conclusion, noting that the syndrome occurs mainly in young men in England.

Concluding the inquest, she said: “Alex Hughes was found collapsed in his bedroom at home by his sons.

“His death was due to natural causes.”

Alex had a brief football career, on the books of Stockport County and Wrexham, before joining Blackburn in 2007, working as a performance analyst during his father’s time as manager.

He followed his father Mark to Manchester City in 2008 and worked with him again at Fulham before forging his own path abroad. He joined Grimsby Town Football Club in 2025.

Following the news of his death, a spokesman for the club said: “Everyone at Grimsby Town Football Club is devastated to learn of the sudden and unexpected passing of our Player Recruitment Lead, Alex Hughes.

“Alex was a devoted husband, proud father, beloved son, brother and friend, and a highly valued member of the Grimsby Town family.

“Alex joined the Mariners in 2025 and quickly became a valued and highly respected member of the football club. Working closely with Head Coach David Artell and the football department, he played an important role in shaping the club’s recruitment strategy and supporting the continued development of the men’s first-team squad.

“Prior to joining Grimsby Town, Alex built an extensive career in football spanning performance analysis, recruitment and player representation. His experience included roles with Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Fulham, AFC Fylde and Morecambe, earning a reputation as a dedicated professional with an outstanding knowledge of the game.

“Beyond his professional achievements, Alex was deeply valued by those who knew him. His warmth, professionalism and positive personality made a lasting impression throughout the football club and the wider football community.

“The thoughts and heartfelt condolences of everyone at Grimsby Town Football Club are with Alex’s wife Jessica, his children Sebastian and Leonardo, his parents Mark and Jill, his brother Curtis, his sister Xenna, and all of his family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.

“The club respectfully asks that the privacy of Alex’s family is respected as they come to terms with their loss.

“Rest in peace, Alex. Once a Mariner, always a Mariner.”