Daily Star

HEADING FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE

Adjusting balls might cut risk of brain injury

- ■ by LAURA SHARMAN news@dailystar.co.uk

FOOTBALLER­S’ risk of brain damage from heading the ball could be slashed by a fifth with a few simple changes.

Scientists recommend preventing harder headers by inflating balls to a lower pressure and swapping them when they get wet, to prevent them “turning into a weapon”.

The findings come amid calls for heading the ball to be banned until the age of 18 with evidence to show small, repeat collisions of the brain can cause dementia.

Sir Geoff Hurst supports the ban as more stars from his winning England 1966 World Cup squad are getting the disease.

Sir Bobby Charlton has dementia while his brother Jack, Martin Peters, Nobby Stiles and Ray Wilson all had the disease and died.

At an inquest, former Wales internatio­nal Alan Jarvis was ruled to have died from dementia that was linked to heading the ball.

Some 22% of football injuries are concussion­s that can come from players using their heads to direct the ball during a game.

Study author Professor Eric Nauman of Purdue University in Indiana, US, said: “If the ball has too high a pressure, gets too waterlogge­d, or both, it actually turns into a weapon.

“Heading that ball is like heading a brick.”

INDIE supergroup Smith And Burrows are such good mates that they’ve moved to the same part of the countrysid­e.

Editors singer Tom Smith and Ricky Gervais’ musical collaborat­or Andy Burrows both moved out of London to Gloucester­shire while finishing their new album, Only Smith And Burrows Is Good Enough, which is out on Friday.

Tom, who moved with his wife – Radio 2 DJ Edith Bowman – in December 2019 told me: “We moved close to where I grew up, so I’ve ended up going full circle.

“With lockdown, it’s a good place to have some space.”

Andy, who like Tom has two children, added: “We’d considered doing the same as Tom and Edith for a few years.

“My wife runs a fitness studio. When that went to hell in lockdown, our plan to move got fast-tracked.

“We decided to follow our good friends and moved as close as we could to them without being annoying.”

Tom explained: “It’s wonderful having Andy’s family so near.

“We haven’t been able to sing together over a barbecue, but we did see each other in the garden before lockdown again.”

The pair even lived together for six weeks in an Airbnb in Tennessee to record their album with American producer Jacquire King. Andy enthused: “For two indie rules tightened boys from the Noughties, making a record with your mate in the Deep South and hanging out in bars there is so exciting.”

Tom continued: “Andy was definitely the better cook at our little place.

“My cooking is like I am in the studio: I take forever, but I get there in the end.” The new album follows a full 10 years after their festive-themed debut, Funny Looking Angels.

Cartoon

It’s a great pop album, with a lot of humour.

Tom revealed: “There are sincere moments, but I love the cartoon nature.

“Before we got far into the album, we had the idea to be two cartoon characters so that we wouldn’t have to front it, like a lo-fi Gorillaz.”

Tom is writing new Editors songs, but admits the band need to be in the studio together to be able to produce their best.

Andy will score Ricky Gervais’ new series of smash

Netflix sitcom After Life and is part of Gary Barlow’s new supergroup Group Therapy with Snow Patrol’s Johnny Mcdaid.

He said: “I’ve spoken Gary on the phone about it.

“I don’t know when it’ll all happen, but at some point it’s going to be something exciting.” to

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