A popular Manchester City fan with an undiagnosed heart condition died after taking cocaine during a Champions League away trip to Spain, an inquest heard.
Father-of-one Guy Edward Bradshaw, 35, from Wythenshawe, was found dead in his room in Hotel Placidia in Benidorm on October 21, 2025, just hours before the Blues were due to play Villarreal 150 miles further up the Costa Blanca coast.
Mr Bradshaw, who ran his own carpet cleaning business, probably died because of the combination of an undiagnosed heart condition, cardiomyopathy, and cocaine use, a coroner at Manchester Coroners' Court concluded following an inquest on Thursday (September 10). Mr Bradshaw had been on the trip with four friends.
Substance found in hotel room
Spanish authorities had found a 'white powdery substance consistent with cocaine' in Guy's room as well as bottles of alcoholic drinks and vapes, the inquest was told.
Post mortem and toxicologic examinations were conducted first in Spain and later in the UK after the body had been repatriated and both concluded Mr Bradshaw had been suffering from heart disease, cardiomyopathy. Analysis of his urine conducted in Spain showed the presence of cocaine, the inquest heard.
The UK pathologist concluded the death was the result of a combination of two factors - a naturally occurring process, cardiomyopathy; and cocaine use. The combination is likely to have caused a heart 'arrhythmia' where the heart beats too quickly or too slowly, the inquest was told.
Family's tribute and concerns
Mr Bradshaw's father Martin told the inquest the family 'will always struggle to accept he is no longer with [them]'. His son was a 'decent human being, much loved and very popular with the local community', he added.
Mr Bradshaw Snr said his family remained 'confused and concerned by contradictions' between the Spanish report into the death and statements the coroner ordered GMP to take from his friends about when they last saw him before his death.
None of their statements were read out, but the inquest heard all of them had said they had not seen him use cocaine that day, nor had they seen him consume the class A drug in the past.
Members of the group had 'framed themselves' outside of Guy's room at the time of his death, Mr Bradshaw Snr told the court.
He also noted that a heart specialist commissioned by the doctor who carried out the UK post mortem examination reported that he had 'never before' seen a cocaine-related death in association with cardiomyopathy.
Coroner's conclusion
Senior coroner Zak Golombek said it was 'unlikely' Mr Bradshaw would have been aware he had heart disease as he was not 'symptomatic'.
Mr Golombek said that even though the heart specialist had reported never seeing that pattern before, it was still possible. He concluded a combination of cardiomyopathy and cocaine use was the probable cause of death.
"I'm satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Guy had died as a result of cocaine use and ventricular cardiomyopathy," the coroner said.
Pressed by Mr Bradshaw Snr as to whether the cocaine use was a 'one off', Mr Golombek said he was unable to comment on his son's use of drugs generally and that the evidence of toxicological tests here and in Spain had shown the presence of cocaine in his system.
He said it was 'not for [him] to pass judgment... on whether this was a one-off or a lifestyle choice Guy had made'.
Paying tribute to his son, Mr Bradshaw Snr said his son had 'something about him' and 'everybody liked him'. He said the trust inspired in others was 'phenomenal' and that he ran his carpet cleaning business 'like a blue chip enterprise'.
His son was born prematurely with hydrocephalus, but this had not prevented him playing football for his junior school and enjoying a full life, he said.
Mr Bradshaw Snr noted the 'outpouring of love' for his son after news of his death first emerged and praised Manchester City and the club's fans who 'erupted' in a minute of applause in memory of Guy at a later game at the Etihad stadium.
The family accepted the 'overwhelming medical evidence', he said.
After the inquest, Mr Bradshaw told the Manchester Evening News his son was a non-smoker, didn't drink much and was always 'a bit more careful' on nights out because of the ill-health he suffered from birth.
