McDermott reveals dementia diagnosis

TERRY McDERMOTT, who won three European Cups and five league titles in a glittering career with Liverpool, has revealed he is the latest football icon battling dementia.

The Anfield legend has bravely admitted he has been diagnosed after undergoing a series of tests — and confesses it’s a battle he is not afraid of taking on.

McDermott’s shattering news was disclosed just days after another legend, Denis Law, revealed he too has Alzheimer’s disease.

‘I’m not frightened of taking it on,’ he said. ‘There are a lot of players in a worse state than me.’

Messages of support have poured in for the 69-year-old, many from current Anfield players and staff, and McDermott (right) has vowed to carry on his duties working as a Liverpool matchday host. He was at Anfield yesterday when Liverpool beat Burnley 2-0 to go top of the Premier League.

The former Newcastle, Liverpool and England star, known as ‘Terry Mac’, was a hero on The Kop where the all-action midfielder was part of the Merseyside club’s golden age.

He went on to make 329 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 81 goals, and helped the club to win three European Cups — he opened the scoring in the 3-1 win over Borussia Monchengladbach in the 1977 final — and five league titles.

Before starring for Liverpool, he also played for Bury and Newcastle and finished his career in Cyprus playing for APOEL Nicosia. McDermott also won 25 England caps, appearing for Ron Greenwood’s Three

Lions at the 1980 European Championship finals in Italy.

He went on to become a muchrespected coach, memorably sharing the dugout alongside Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan when the Magpies pushed Manchester United all the way in a thrilling title race in 1996.

He was also assistant coach at Celtic during John Barnes’ brief spell as manager between June 1999 and February 2000. McDermott revealed it was a chance on-stage conversation with Keegan which hinted something was wrong and persuaded his wife, Carole, to encourage him to have an examination.

‘We were on stage,’ said McDermott, ‘and Kevin was telling a story and handed over to me to finish it off. My mind went blank and I said I couldn’t remember what had happened next. The audience started laughing and thought it was part of the act.’

McDermott is the latest legend to suffer with dementia and wonders if endless games of ‘head tennis’ may have been a factor in his diagnosis though he’s now determined to look ahead rather than back and focus on fighting the dreadful disease.

‘I’ve got to get on with it and I will,’ said McDermott.

‘It’s the way I’ve been brought up. Battling is second nature.’