Watched a tv programme on Sunday night about the effects of heading a football continuously. The programme featured former Witton centre half Chris Nicholl as one of it’s subjects, who has suffered brain damage as a result of playing the game. He said “even though it has affected him in that way, he wouldn’t change and would still do it.”
The programme was centred around former West Bromwich Albion & England player Jeff Astle, who’s death was attributed to his football career and featured a number of ex players.
Excellent programme well made and really interesting. It does make you think about what it could possibly be doing to people who have made their living from the game they love. Some very moving stories.
It was a good programme and well worth checking out on I-player if you missed it.
I don’t think it was established that Chris had any brain damage or early dementia though. He just had problems with his memory.
Didn’t he say that he hadn’t even been to the doctors about it yet? Let’s hope he does now. If it’s something vascular it can be slowed down with medication. He was still very recognisable though a bit of an elderly man in some of his mannerisms which was a jolt to those of us who saw him playing at the Central Ground as a teenager!
Surely it makes no difference if you are making your living from the game. Amateurs play more games a year than the Pros in many cases, does that mean all centre-halves and centre-forwards are likely to suffer from Dementia? I feel for Jeff Astles and any other people with Dementia but if heading a football can give it to you God help anyone who has ever played or his still playing!
The old leather “Casey” might well have caused damage, the lace ripped my eyelid open on one occasion but the modern ball is nothing at all like the old one. God forbid it stops heading the ball being legal just as the daft idea to stop kids tackling in Rugby is being threatened with a ban.
Taken in context, how many players have suffered from dementia after playing the game and how many have suffered it anyway? Until a study along those lines is conducted I think this idea should be taken with a large pinch of salt.
WHS.
Chris Nicholl actually said during the programme that he has suffered some brain damage when he was talking to Alan Shearer. He went on to say that he would never go to the doctors to be checked but he knows that his situation has deteriorated and his memory is getting worse.
[quote=“WHS” post=73279].
Taken in context, how many players have suffered from dementia after playing the game and how many have suffered it anyway? Until a study along those lines is conducted I think this idea should be taken with a large pinch of salt.
WHS.[/quote]
That is the crucial question. Shearer spoke to Gordon Taylor, the useless waste of space who is Chairman of the PFA. He had no idea how many of his members had been diagnosed with dementia and had made no attempt to find out in the 15 years since the Jeff Astle inquest.
Unless an inquiry includes ALL footballers at ALL levels the inquiry is pointless. Dementia happens, sadly seemingly at random. My Auntie Queenie never headed ball in her life but she had it and so did one of our neighbours who did not play ANY sport to speak of.
WHS.