Gordon McQueen diagnosed with dementia

Horrendous news. It's becoming more and more apparent that heading these big heavy footballs in the past has had a big issue for former professionals.
Probably doesn't help of that there's no doubt.
But how do you explain the millions of folk who have dementia that never headed a football or played contact sports,especially women?
 
Terrible news, good luck to big Gordon.

Met him a couple of times in the Edmiston Club back in the day and he was an extremely nice guy.
 
Probably doesn't help of that there's no doubt.
But how do you explain the millions of folk who have dementia that never headed a football or played contact sports,especially women?
There are many types of dementia. Vascular is one, if not, the worst, that you can get
 
I think the fact that modern balls are so much lighter will have a big impact on today’s footballers probably not being affected as much with dementia in later years.

Not necessarily. If players are heading the ball more often because it's lighter then there's still a risk.

Rightly or wrongly I think we may reach a point where heading becomes a very small part of the game, or some kind of soft head protection becomes normal.
 
That has yet to be found.
Would you agree that there's something not quite right about it?
It's something I have pondered quite a lot recently having had family members die of it and hearing of folk in the relatively younger brackets having it.
Probably a discussion that requires a thread of its own in the lounge and I don't want to derail this one.
All the best to the big man and his family in the fight against this horrible condition.
 
Bloody shame, would loved to have seen him in a Gers top.
Sad to read of another ex player with this condition.Part of the great Don Revie team from the 70’s ,almost half of the Scotland 74 World Cup squad were Leeds players Harvey, McQueen ,Bremner ,Lorimer, Grey and Jordan
 
I think the fact that modern balls are so much lighter will have a big impact on today’s footballers probably not being affected as much with dementia in later years.
Has that not been proven to be an urban myth?

I thought the ball weights were the same, just the materials have changed?

I should caveat this by saying that this is the weight the ball STARTS the match B-D
 
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So sorry to hear that. Big Gordon is a good lad. I’ve had to go through the same process with a loved one and it is a massive struggle for the whole family. Make the best of the time now as it generally degenerates fast.
 
Dreadful news, and only 68. :( I’m surprised to read that he only had 2 winners medals throughout his career, the league with Leeds, and the cup with Man Utd.
 
He has vascular dementia according to reports.

This is not caused by a career heading footballs.

I'm a bit sceptical about the theory anyway. It's strange that percentage wise more baseball players are affected than boxers.
 
Horrendous news. It's becoming more and more apparent that heading these big heavy footballs in the past has had a big issue for former professionals.

Not looking for an argument at all but the weight of footballs has been the same since 1872.

In 1872 the regulation weight was between 13 ounces and 15 ounces. The regulation weight was changed in 1937 to between 14 ounces and 16 ounces.

University of Glasgow research found that footballs absorbed less than half an ounce of water when wet.

It is heading the ball, any ball, that causes brain damage. No matter what the weight is.

I wince every time I see someone doing a full force headed clearance and wonder what effect it might have in the coming years.

Research has shown that professional footballers are 3.5 times more likely to become afflicted with some form of dementia. Sadly, lots of people get dementia but footballers are disproportionally affected.

Sad facts. :(

Edit: ...3.5 times more likely...
 
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He has vascular dementia according to reports.

This is not caused by a career heading footballs.

I'm a bit sceptical about the theory anyway. It's strange that percentage wise more baseball players are affected than boxers.
I agree.
Dementia strikes people regardless of how many football's they headed.
My mother never headed a single football in her life and nor did many other female members of her family who all suffered from this disease.
However, every time a footballer comes down with this terrible illness we are showered by the same flawed mantra.
I spent my entire youth heading a football when I wasn't kicking one, but if I get dementia I am pretty confident it will have something to do with heredity.
You cannot escape genes.

That said, I am gutted for Big Gordon and I wish him all the best, a great player in his day and a good Bear as well.
 
Terrible news ! Best wishes in your battle.
Remember him standing behind us in the enclosure at a Euro game many years ago , Great player !!
 
Horrible news. A good Bear a lovely big guy by all accounts.

Was too young to see him play, but always loved the video of him celebrating McFadden’s winner for Scotland in Paris.

Best wishes to him and family.

Exactly what i was thinking when i heard about his diagnosis.

Sad news.
 
Too young to remember him as a player but fond memories of him as a TV pundit when Rangers were running amok in the 90s. And the Scotland v France video B-D
 
Horrendous news. It's becoming more and more apparent that heading these big heavy footballs in the past has had a big issue for former professionals.

I think it is a myth that footballs were heavier before unfortunately. The regulation size has been the same since the 30's. Of course synthetic balls have perhaps reduced the possible weight due to water retention, but even those were introduced in the 80's, so I think this issue is not going away.
 
My family and I had the pleasure of having lunch with him (and his son) at Ibrox in the 1990s before a game. He was very friendly, full of stories about Leeds, Man United and Scotland, a real gentleman. And a proper Rangers fan... Best wishes to him and his family.
 
Very sad news. Followed his career since his Leeds United days.

Saw him on Edmiston Drive with his son a couple of times before games.

The only, I believe, full Scotland international to have played for Largs Thistle.

:(
 
Of course there is,but what's the explanation for the huge rise in folk having all types of dementia?
They're not dying of other things first, it's not that simple I know, but that is part of it.
If someone dies of dementia years after being treated and cured of cancer, did they die of dementia because that was always going to happen or did they die of dementia because they were cured of cancer, you have to die of something,
 
Sad news, my Dad suffered four horrible years dealing with this illness before passing last May. I wish the big Man all the best in his struggle - a colossus of a centre half for club & country.
 
Sad news that is becoming more common nowadays, however, I suspect that it has been on the go for a hundred years or more, but just wasn't diagnosed.
 
Met Gordon a few times, and he was always amiable, easy going; signed a couple things for me.
That however, must be over ten years ago; and he`d went missing off Sky`s football coverage then.
It is sad news, but he has been ill for quite some time now.
Superb player and a nice guy; good wishes to him in his battle.
 
I always thought it was mainly due to us having an aging population, as the risk of dementia increases as you get older.
I'm unsure to be honest,it's just I have heard of few getting it in the 40s and 50s.
Two whom I went to school with early fifties,who both have sadly passed.
Don't want to derail the thread,a discussion for another time.
 
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