THE reasons a popular Tredegar footballer and coach hanged himself remain a mystery, following an inquest yesterday.

Goalkeeper Stephen Morris, of Pembroke Street, Tredegar, was found hanging from the goalposts at Ashvale Football Ground in Tredegar on May 20.

The Tredegar inquest heard that Mr Morris, 37, became depressed in April, after a relationship ended.

His sister, Carol Davies, told the inquest she visited the doctor with him after he took an overdose of paracetamol tablets on May 7.

He received medication, which he took for one night, but appeared to be "on his way up". Gwent Coroner David Bowen said the family had been "wracking their brains" for a reason for his death.

Mrs Davies told the inquest she had come to her own conclusions, but said she did not want to reveal them. Mr Morris, who had played for Cwmbran, Plymouth Argyle and Tredegar Town, spoke to his sister the evening before his death and had not given her any cause for concern.

But that night she and her husband Michael were called by a friend of Mr Morris, saying Mr Morris had phoned him and was going to hang himself.

They went out looking for him and found him hanging from the goalposts at Ashvale.

A post mortem examination found that Mr Morris had died of compression to the neck by a ligature, as a result of hanging.

Mr Bowen said: "From the notes and letters that have been identified as being in his handwriting, I am quite satisfied...that Mr Morris deliberately took his own life."

He recorded a verdict that Mr Morris killed himself.