Repeatedly heading a football «likely» contributed to the brain disease which was a factor in the death of former Scotland and Manchester United footballer Gordon McQueen, an inquest has found.
McQueen, who was diagnosed with vascular dementia, died in 2023 aged 70.
An inquest into his death held in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, concluded with a narrative verdict on Monday, with senior coroner John Heath telling the court: «I have found that Mr McQueen suffered repetitive head impacts during his career.
«I am satisfied that on the balance of probability that repeatedly heading footballs contributed to his developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
«The combination of CTE and vascular dementia led to pneumonia. I find the cause of death pneumonia, vascular dementia and CTE.
«It is likely that repetitive head impacts, sustained by heading the ball while playing football, contributed to the CTE.»
McQueen played 30 times for Scotland and made almost 350 appearances for St Mirren, Leeds and United as a central defender between 1970 and 1985, before managing Airdrie and coaching at St Mirren and Middlesbrough.
Outside court, McQueen’s daughter Hayley – a Sky Sports presenter – said: «Dad absolutely loved everything about football, but ultimately, it took him in the end.
«We went through a horrendous time towards the end of his life. CTE is a very different sort of thing from a traditional dementia – a lot of dad’s symptoms were not typical of that or Alzheimer’s.
«It depleted my parents’ lifetime savings, looking for private care for my dad. And we relied on charities for respite care.
«I know a lot of footballers whose families have reached out, who have symptoms very similar to that of my dad, and I think we’re going to start to see more and more and more.
«The 1966 World Cup England team has been pretty much wiped out with neurodogenitive disease.»
«I think my dad’s main message would be to warn others against the dangers of heading to protect future generations.
«Football is a beautiful sport but it doesn’t need to take people’s lives.»
‘Football authorities must stand up and make a change’
In 2019 the Football Association and Professional Footballers’ Association jointly funded the ‘Field’ study, which found footballers were 3.5 times more likely to die from neurodegenerative diseases.
The FA also jointly funds the Brain Health Fund, which provides up to £1m a year for families affected by neurological illness in footballers.
‘Defenders more at risk than general population’
Professor Willie Stewart, a consultant neuropathologist at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow who examined McQueen’s brain after his death, described to BBC Sport how a membrane in the brain appeared torn and that CTE was present in various locations in McQueen’s brain.
«CTE contributed to his death significantly,» said Prof Stewart, adding that the only available causal evidence was exposure to repeated impacts – heading a football.
Prof Stewart said symptoms of CTE were cognitive decline and neuro-behaviour change, and that they «can’t be explained by another condition – it must be progressive».
He said symptoms were «typical in professional football and rugby players who have long careers».
«Goalkeepers, who don’t typically head the ball, have a risk equivalent to general population, whereas in outfield positions, particularly defenders, the risk is higher,» he added.
The relationship between CTE and football has been studied for many years, but prominent cases like McQueen’s bring it further into the spotlight.
«I’m not surprised by the verdict», Luke Griggs, chief executive of brain injury association Headway UK, told BBC Radio 5 Live.
«The link between repeated head trauma and degenerative neurological conditions, whether it’s dementia, Parkinson’s, or CTE, is well established.
«In recent years that peer reviewed evidence has been strengthened with studies showing that the footballers of Gordon’s generation were at a significantly greater risk of developing these conditions than the general population. So not a huge surprise, but a sizeable and important moment.»
Related topics
- St Mirren
- Manchester United
- Scottish Football
- Football
- Scotland Men’s Football Team
- Leeds United
