DENIS LAW
Scotland football legend reveals he is battling dementia
FOOTBALL legend Denis Law yesterday revealed he has been diagnosed with dementia and told of his battle with the disease.
The 81-year-old – capped 55 times for his country and joint-top scorer with 30 goals – spoke movingly about life with the condition and how it has taken its toll on him and his family.
And Law admitted he decided to make his voice heard in a bid to help others who are affected, as numerous studies show the links between football and the disease.
German legend Gerd Muller passed away this week after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2015 while Law’s former Manchester United team-mates Bobby Charlton and Gordon McQueen are also suffering. Celtic legend Billy McNeill died in 2019 after living with the same illness.
Denis – nicknamed ‘The King’ at Old Trafford for his incredible record of 237 goals in 404 appearances – said: “I am at the point where I feel I want to be open about my condition.
“I have been diagnosed with ‘mixed dementia’, which is more than one type of dementia, in my case this being Alzheimer’s and Vascular dementia.
“This has been an extremely difficult year for everyone and the long periods of isolation have certainly not helped.
“It is an incredibly challenging and problematic disease, and I have witnessed many friends go through this. You hope that it won’t happen to you, even make jokes about it whilst ignoring the early signs, because you don’t want it to be true.
“You get angry, frustrated, confused and then worried, worried for your family, as they will be the ones dealing with it.
“However, the time has come to tackle this head on, excuse the pun.
“I recognise how my brain is deteriorating and how my memory evades me when I don’t want it to and how this causes me distress in situations that are beyond my control.
“I do understand what is happening, and that is why I want to address my situation now whilst I am able, because I know there will be days when I don’t understand and I hate the thought of that right now.
“I don’t want people to be saddened if I forget places, people or dates because you need to remember I enjoyed all those memories and I am lucky to have experienced what I have in my life – a loving and supportive family, a great career doing what I loved – and getting paid to do it – and lifelong friends.”
Other former players diagnosed with dementia include Law’s former United team-mate Nobby Stiles, England World Cup winner Martin Peters and Jeff Astle as well as Bobby Charlton and Gordon McQueen.
Speaking last year Aberdonian Denis said: “I’m resigned to losing more friends to dementia. It seems to be the price we have paid for playing football in those days. I’ve spent days crying over what dementia has done to my former team-mates.”
Law added of his struggles: “I have good days and bad days and aim to take each day as it comes, adjusting my lifestyle accordingly.
“I know the road ahead will be hard, demanding, painful and ever changing and so ask for understanding and patience as this will not be an easy journey, especially for the people who love you the most.”
Law said his daughter, Di, was completing the Thames Bridges Trek on 11 September to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society and urged people to donate.
He said: “As a family, we have been offered support by Alzheimer’s Society and have chosen to fundraise for the charity to help support its crucial work. The charity is also doing amazing work with the sports industry, with its Sport United Against Dementia campaign.
“This really could make the
biggest difference to former players, players, and fans alike.”
In a statement, Manchester United said: “Denis Law will always be one of this club’s greatest legends and everybody at Manchester United sends our love and best wishes to him and his family.
“We know our fans around the world will also rally behind him. We applaud Denis’s brave words and will continue to offer whatever support we can as he adapts to this challenging condition.” The Scottish
Football Association added: “We are saddened to learn that our men’s all-time joint top goalscorer Denis Law has been diagnosed with dementia. The thoughts of everyone at the Scottish FA are with Denis and his family at this time.”
A study in 2019 found that professional footballers are three and a half times more likely to die from dementia than people of the same age range in the general population.
Bobby Charlton was the fifth member of England’s 1966 World
Cup-winning side to be diagnosed with dementia. His brother, Jack, and Nobby Stiles both died last year after suffering from brain functioning diseases believed to be linked closely to heading footballs, while both Martin Peters and Ray Wilson – who died in 2019 and 2018 respectively – also had the condition.
Stiles, Peters and Wilson were diagnosed with it while still in their sixties. Alzheimer’s Society chief executive Kate Lee said she hoped Law’s “bravery in coming forward will encourage many others to seek the help they need”.
The Denis Law Legacy Trust said it was “saddened” by the news.
A spokesman said: “As a player, his grit and determination took him from the streets of Aberdeen to the pinnacle of world football and everyone at the Trust knows he will use that same strength now to take on this illness.”
● You can donate to Denis Law’s fundraising page for the Alzheimer’s Society, by going to www.justgiving.com/thelawman