A former Scotland, Manchester United, and Leeds United footballer has blamed his dementia on heading a ball during his playing career.
The 70-year-old Gordon McQueen was diagnosed with vascular dementia and died in 2023. His daughter Hayley McQueen, who works as a Sky Sports presenter, stated that her father would say "yes, heading a football all those years probably hasn't helped" when asked about the cause of his dementia.
McQueen's brain showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after his death, which is linked to repeated head injuries sustained during his playing career. The inquest heard from experts that CTE can be caused by exposure to impacts or heading a football, with outfield defenders such as McQueen being at higher risk.
The former player's health had deteriorated significantly after the age of 60, with symptoms including swallowing difficulties and balance problems. Hayley described her father's struggles with his condition, saying he would get confused about what was happening around him and have trouble performing everyday tasks.
As CTE contributed to McQueen's death, the inquest has been adjourned until Monday to consider further evidence.
The 70-year-old Gordon McQueen was diagnosed with vascular dementia and died in 2023. His daughter Hayley McQueen, who works as a Sky Sports presenter, stated that her father would say "yes, heading a football all those years probably hasn't helped" when asked about the cause of his dementia.
McQueen's brain showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after his death, which is linked to repeated head injuries sustained during his playing career. The inquest heard from experts that CTE can be caused by exposure to impacts or heading a football, with outfield defenders such as McQueen being at higher risk.
The former player's health had deteriorated significantly after the age of 60, with symptoms including swallowing difficulties and balance problems. Hayley described her father's struggles with his condition, saying he would get confused about what was happening around him and have trouble performing everyday tasks.
As CTE contributed to McQueen's death, the inquest has been adjourned until Monday to consider further evidence.
. I mean, I feel bad for his family and all, but come on, 70 years old is ancient for a human being, let alone someone who was running around like a lunatic on the pitch for decades 
. And now his brain is literally falling apart... just saying. It's like they're not surprised that playing football at that level would cause some damage 
. But still, it's a wake-up call for the sport and its players to take care of themselves after their careers are over. Let's hope the governing bodies take note and start looking out for these guys' long-term health. 
it's just so sad that Gordon McQueen went through all that and it's no surprise he suffered from dementia. I mean, we've known for ages that football players are at risk of brain damage but it's still shocking to see someone as iconic as him go through it 
. It's like the game is just asking too much from our bodies, you know? He was only 70 and his body just gave out on him 
. And now he's paying the price with his memory, balance... everything 
. I feel for his daughter Hayley, she must've been going through hell watching her dad struggle 
️ I mean, he was a legend on the field, but sadly, his brain paid the price. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is no joke, and it's amazing how much we're learning about it now. It's not just footballers who are at risk either - it's anyone who's had repeated head injuries. We need to be more careful out there on the pitch! 
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. But on the other hand, all those years of heading the ball took its toll on his brain... it's like we're learning the hard way that concussions aren't just something that happens in the NFL or in contact sports 
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I gotta say, I feel bad for Gordon McQueen, ya know? People are quick to judge and say he's paying the price for his football days, but what if that's not entirely fair? I mean, we know CTE is a real thing now, and it's crazy how much damage even one head injury can do. 
It's just so frustrating that we can't give him the closure he needs right now... His daughter is trying to get more info out of this, I hope they find some answers for her 
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. 70 years old is way too young for someone to be dealing with this stuff, my dad's been playing golf since he was 40 and he's still kickin' 
. Still, gotta feel sorry for the bloke, had a rough life with all them head injuries... CT scans and whatnot must've been a nightmare 
. Anyway, hope they get to the bottom of it all and figure out what really went down 
hope they get more info on Monday about what led to his death 
. CTE is a terrible thing, and it's not just limited to football players - anyone who has had repeated head injuries can be at risk 
. My thoughts are with Gordon McQueen's family, especially his daughter Hayley, who must have been by his side throughout all this 
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. I get it, we all knew there was some link between head injuries and brain issues, but still...70 years old? That just goes to show how devastating CTE can be 
. It's sad that his daughter had to go through all this with him...hope they get more answers soon 
. The stats show that CTE is more common among outfield defenders, with 45% of cases occurring in players who played as defenders 
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. It's crazy to think that his dementia was linked to something he loved so much... football 
. Did you know that studies show 77% of CTE cases are caused by repeated head trauma? 
We need to talk about player safety and how we can reduce the risk of long-term brain damage 
. Footballers' brains may never fully recover from those years of heading... 
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