I have Alzheimer’s but I’ll not give up, says football legend
FOrMer Aberdeen manager Jimmy calderwood has revealed he is suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s.
The 62-year-old, who spent his playing career at Birmingham city and in Holland, was diagnosed two years ago after being encouraged by his partner to seek help for his forgetfulness.
His announcement comes six months after the family of former celtic captain and Lisbon Lion Billy McNeill, 76, said he had dementia.
Yesterday, calderwood – who also managed Dunfermline, Kilmarnock, ross county and in Holland
‘I just get on with it’
– said the news initially hit him hard but he has since approached life with vigour. He decided to make his situation public in a meeting with sports writers in Glasgow, accompanied by partner Yvonne Buchanan and representatives of Alzheimer Scotland.
‘I didn’t know much about it at all,’ he said. ‘Getting your head round it is the most important thing, and accepting it. That was hard. But I have had a fantastic life and there is still a long, long way to go. There is no use walking about moaning all the time. I had enough of that on the pitch.
‘right now I am still fine, except for being a bit forgetful with some names, but I am determined to continue enjoying life.
‘Strangely, it’s not too bad. I just get on with it. I’ve had a wonderful life in football, been all over the world about ten times and it’s not cost me a ha’penny. That’s good for a wee boy from Govan.
‘I’m not really a person that’s scared of anything. I feel great at the moment and we will see how it goes.’
calderwood made the announcement after hearing a former Dutch team-mate was suffering badly from the progressive brain disease. He hopes to encourage others to talk more openly about dementia.
‘If we can help other people, that would be fantastic,’ he said.
Miss Buchanan said she knew something wasn’t right when he started to forget things.
‘But very seldom does he forget anything about football: goals, who is playing, when they are playing,’ she added. ‘His memory for that is unbelievable. And when he is talking on the phone to his Dutch friends – fluent. He never pauses or stumbles. It’s very smooth.’
Mrs McNeill revealed this weekend that, seven years after being diagnosed with dementia, her husband now struggles to speak.
‘It is sad,’ said the 73-year-old, who cares for him at their home in Newton Mearns, near Glasgow. ‘We don’t know what he can remember because he can’t communicate.
‘We don’t know if Billy’s dementia is linked to his football. More research needs to be done.’
experts announced plans for a summit to explore the link between football and dementia in the wake of the McNeill announcement in February.
Dementia concerns about rugby players have led to the introduction of strict protocols and education programmes in the UK.