THE 19-year-old son of former Celtic manager and player Lou Macari has been found hanged from a tree 400 yards from his home in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

The body of Jonathan Macari, who had initially followed in his father's footballing footsteps as an apprentice at Nottingham Forest, was discovered by a passer-by in the Trentham area of the city.

Staffordshire Police said last night the death was not being treated as suspicious.

At the Macari family home, Jonathan's brother Mike answered the door to callers and said: ''We are all very distressed and wish to be left alone to grieve together as a family.''

Flowers and written messages from sympathisers began to pile up at the spot where Jonathan died. One card said: ''Jon, miss you so much. Love you and always will. All my love Jue, xxx.''

The teenager, who was described by his former manager Dave Bassett as having ''decent potential'', had appeared to lose interest in the game and had been unemployed since terminating his contract with the East Midlands team in May 1998.

Insiders said he did not have a happy relationship with the coaching staff.

He had been offered a place at Nottingham Forest School of Excellence when he was 15 and seemed destined to follow the career of his father, who found fame as a player at Celtic and Manchester United, and his two elder brothers who also forged careers as professional footballers.

He joined Forest on a two-year Youth Training Scheme as a centre forward, but was released a year before his apprenticeship was due to be completed, despite pleas from Bassett.

The former manager said: ''The lad was a great player with decent potential, but he just seemed to stagnate and lose interest. We sat down with his dad and tried to convince him he had a future, but he didn't want to know. He was a nice lad. This is a great tragedy.''

Nottingham Forest's current manager Ron Atkinson sent his condolences to his close friend Lou Macari, one time player-manager at Swindon.

Atkinson said: ''It's a tragic incident. My sympathy goes out to the family. I didn't actually know the lad, he was already released when I took over, but I feel for the family.

''I know Lou particularly well from our days together at Manchester United. These must be trying times for him.''

Stoke City director Peter Coates, who was club chairman when he appointed Lou Macari as manager, said: ''I know both of Jonathan's parents and his brothers. They were a very devoted family and must be racked with pain at this moment.

''My thoughts as a friend and as a father myself go out to Lou and his family.''

The head teacher at Jonathan's former school, Dr Roger Burgess, said the teenager was remembered as a lad who displayed ''tremendous potential and spirit''.

He added: ''Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family who had forged close ties with the school during Lou's time with Stoke City.''

Jonathan's brother Mike Macari, 26, was a trainee at West Ham United, later joining Stoke City for whom he made 30 appearances. His other brother Paul, 22, was a trainee at Stoke but was released at the end of last season.

Their father's playing career was launched with Celtic in 1966. He joined Manchester United in 1973, collecting an FA Cup winners' medal four years later. He won promotion to the second division as manager of Swindon before having a short spell as manager of West Ham. He took over at Birmingham in 1991 before switching to Stoke. In October 1993, he returned to Celtic but was sacked in July 1994.

Mr Fergus McCann, the former Celtic chief, claimed Macari, who had retained his family home in England, had not devoted enough time to the team. His dismissal led to a court battle which Macari lost, with #500,000 in costs.