Former football star Gordon McQueen’s dementia was linked to heading the ball, as revealed during the inquiry into his passing. The Scottish and Manchester United icon was diagnosed with vascular dementia before his death at the age of 70 in 2023. McQueen’s daughter, Hayley McQueen, a presenter at Sky Sports, shared that her father believed his football career likely contributed to his condition due to the repetitive heading of the ball.
Hayley recounted how her father mentioned experiencing headaches and displayed symptoms of cognitive decline and personality changes. Despite not recalling specific head injuries during his playing days, she noted a shift in his behavior after his 60th birthday. McQueen’s battle with dysphagia, along with a diagnosis of throat cancer, added to his health challenges, affecting his daily life and cognitive functions.
The family’s legal representative, Michael Rawlinson KC, probed into McQueen’s goal-scoring techniques, to which Hayley responded that he predominantly scored with his head from set-pieces. Their understanding of his condition deepened after speaking with Dawn Astle, daughter of the late footballer Jeff Astle, who suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Prof Willie Stewart, who examined McQueen’s brain posthumously, confirmed the presence of CTE, pointing out the cognitive and behavioral symptoms associated with the disease. He emphasized the link between CTE and repetitive head injuries, particularly prevalent in long-serving professional footballers and rugby players.
The coroner’s report revealed a combination of pneumonia, mixed vascular dementia, and CTE in McQueen’s autopsy results. Prof Stewart’s research indicated a higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases among outfield players, especially defenders, compared to goalkeepers who rarely head the ball. The inquest was adjourned for further legal review, with conclusions expected on January 26.