I’M NOT SCARED OF THIS BATTLE
Anfield hero tells of his dementia torment
TERRY McDERMOTT who won three European Cups and five league titles for Liverpool is the latest football star to have been diagnosed with dementia.
The Kop hero whose all-action midfield style is still revered on Merseyside discovered that he is in the early stages of Lewy Body dementia after undergoing tests.
His revelation that he is battling against the degenerative disease comes just days after Manchester United’s Denis
Law admitted that he has Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.
But McDermott (above) is determined to carry on with his work as a Liverpool match day host and has already had numerous messages of support from former Anfield team-mates.
He was on duty for yesterday’s game against Burnley while Liverpool football club will also offer their help if it is needed as football comes to terms with another grim legacy of a starstudded career.
A generation of past greats including England World Cup winners Sir Bobby Charlton, Nobby Stiles, Jack Charlton and Martin Peters have all been diagnosed with dementia, the last three having all passed away.
McDermott, 69, first feared he had a problem during a talk-in with his great mate and former Newcastle United and England manager Kevin Keegan.
“We were on stage and Kevin was telling a story and handed over to me to finish it off,” he said. “My mind went blank and I said I couldn’t remember what had happened next. The audience started laughing thinking it was part of the act.
“Kevin saved the situation by taking the micky out of me and continuing himself with the tale but it left me worrying that something wasn’t right.
“There were a few other instances where I struggled to explain things.”
Supported by his wife Carole, McDermott found out he had the early stages of Lewy Body dementia which leads to a decline in thinking and reasoning. Carole added: “It’s not always about forgetting things or not knowing where he is going, it’s more about him getting confused and not explaining properly.
“He also worries more. Years ago he didn’t worry about a thing.
“He can get anxious about stupid things.”
Terry added: “I’ve got to get on with it and I will. It’s the way I’ve been brought up. I’m not frightened of taking it on.
“Battling is second nature. The worst thing was until my condition was diagnosed you don’t know what’s going on.
“The number of ex-players being diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s is frightening.”
Many Liverpool fans believe his headed goal in the
7-0 thumping of Spurs in
1978 was the club’s greatest. But with the growing belief that hours of heading a football can impact on a player’s brain, English football has this season introduced new regulations.
Professional players are now limited to 10 ‘higher force’ headers a week in training.
And the PFA is backing more research into the subject.