Ex-Man United star said heading ball ‘hasn’t helped’ following dementia diagnosis before death
Former Scotland international footballer Gordon McQueen said heading the ball over his 16-year career “probably hasn’t helped” after he developed dementia, his daughter has told an inquest into his death.
The central defender, who died in 2023 aged 70, won 30 Scotland caps and played for both Manchester United and Leeds United.
TV presenter Hayley McQueen was asked by her barrister Michael Rawlinson KC if her father had discussed whether anything in his past history was behind his dementia.
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Appearing at the hearing in Northallerton, North Yorkshire on Tuesday, she said that after he was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2021, her father told his family that heading a football for so long “probably hasn’t helped”.
A common type of dementia, it is caused by reduced blood flow to the brain and affects around 180,000 people in the UK, the NHS said on its website.
Her dad was relatively injury-free during his career but did suffer some concussions, she said, but in those days, players “would just head back out and play”.
Ms McQueen said she also remembers at a young age how he would come home from training with Manchester United and lie down in a darkened room with a headache.
After being healthy and active – as a player and with his family – during and after his career, relatives started noticing changes in his personality after he turned 60.
Ms McQueen said her father had always been very sociable and outgoing, but became more withdrawn.
McQueen, second right, with the Scotland team in 1974. File pic: AP
McQueen arrives at the funeral of former teammate Billy Bremner in 1997. File pic: PA
She said he developed problems with swallowing and with his balance, telling his family he didn’t feel “right in himself” and said: “There’s something not right in my head”.
He was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2021, she said.
Five of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning team – Sir Bobby Charlton, his brother Jack Charlton, Ray Wilson, Martin Peters and Nobby Stiles were diagnosed with the disease, which either caused or contributed to their deaths.
Former England and West Brom striker Jeff Astle died at 59 in 2002 because of repeated trauma from heading footballs, described by a coroner as an “industrial injury”.
Growing evidence that heading the ball can cause brain damage has led to calls for a ban and it was prohibited for matches involving under-7s to under-9s during the 2024-25 season.
The ban was expanded to under-10 matches this season and is projected to cover under-11 games from 2026-27.
Born in Kilbirnie in western Scotland in 1952, McQueen arrived in England in 1972 after moving to Leeds from St Mirren in 1972, helping the Yorkshire club win the Division One (now the Premier League) title in 1974.
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He joined Manchester United in 1978, winning the FA Cup in 1983.
After retiring, he spent five years as coach at Middlesbrough until 2001 and went on to become a pundit on Scottish TV and on Sky Sports.
The inquest is expected to last three days.
