Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
If fans can help our ailing heroes, why can’t these hugely rich stars of today chip in?
me after he was diagnosed, all he wanted was help to pay for the funeral so he didn’t force his family into debt. I was in tears.
“But the sporting authorities are more interested in helping players with gambling problems, knee injuries, and arthritis.
“They aren’t killing hundreds of former players. Dementia is and the authorities are ignoring it. Our dream was to have a series of care homes to provide respite or long-term care. A 1% levy on the wages of Premier League players would raise millions to do that. Surely today’s players, who have so much money, wouldn’t begrudge that so those who laid the foundations for everything they have can be looked after.” The Mirror has campaigned to get help for ex-footballers with dementia since revealing three members of the 1966 World Cup winning team – Martin Peters, Nobby Stiles, and Ray Wilson – had been diagnosed with the disease.
At least 375 former stars have dementia. Experts fear many of them have Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or “boxer’s brain”, caused by repeated blows to the head.
But they cannot be tested for the disease until they die.
A draft guidebook, drawn up by the Professional Footballer’s Association and seen by the Mirror, makes no mention of CTE or heading footballs.
It also gives no details of financial support. Instead it advises players to claim benefits or to eat “finger foods” if they struggle with a knife and fork.
Dawn, whose dad is the only player to be tested for CTE after his death, said: “What’s missing from that guide is far more important than what’s there. There is nothing on what support is available within the sport or CTE, which are the first things families ask us about.
“That made my blood boil. Yet they could find space for patronising advice like, try finger food if you are struggling with a knife and fork.” It means families of sufferers are having to turn to charity for help.
Stan Bowles, 68, a QPR legend from the 70s, has dementia and now lives with his daughter Andria in the same suburb of Manchester where he grew up. His army of fans campaigned for a year for QPR to hold a benefit match for him last month and nearly 10,000 turned out to say goodbye to him. The match is believed to have netted around £100,000 in ticket sales alone and the club has pledged to donate “at least £15,000” to a fund for Stan and other former QPR players.
Supporters have also raised a further £50,000 through a website. Andria said: “We can’t thank the fans enough for what they have done. Dad loved his fans as much as they loved him, it meant so much to him. I spend so much time worrying about what will happen to dad, but knowing the money is there to pay for care is one less thing to worry about.”
Former Tottenham full-back Peter Baker was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2005 at the age of 73. He spent his final years living in a council flat in Enfield, North London, surviving on a small pension with his wife Linda, who cared for him until his death last year at 84. The couple only coped thanks to the help of the Tottenham Tribute Trust. The charity, run by fans with the backing of the club, funded a drug called Arasat to slow Peter’s illness. It also helped pay for respite care.
Linda, said: “I probably would’ve had a breakdown without the Trust. They would call on a regular basis and ask, ‘Are you OK? Do you need any help?’.
“I could never have afford the cost of the drugs or the care home fees