Rangers legend Ally McCoist has been opening up over his serious fears about contracting dementia as the conversation continues about the disease and links to football.
A leading Glasgow University study found conclusive links between professional football players and dementia in later life with heading banned amongst kids as a result.
This was after the study – undertaken by the uni’s Brain Injury Group – claimed that professional footballers are three and a half times more likely to suffer from a range of neurological diseases.
The 22-month project found that there was a five-fold increase in the risk of Alzheimer’s, a four-fold increase in motor neurone disease and a two-fold increase in Parkinson’s [Guardian].
As a result, Football Associations across the UK have now banned heading in training for children under 12 [BBC].
Speaking honestly about his fears for the future, Rangers legend Super Ally – who is the club’s greatest ever goalscorer – admitted he has issues with his short-term memory.
“I automatically think that back in the day, it was the big heavy ball with the laces. That’s what I thought,” said McCoist [talkSPORT].
“Now we’re finding out that the pace of the ball is a big factor as well.
“Clearly a lot of my headers would’ve been coming of fast balls, rather than the old ball with the laces.
“I understand that age comes with a cost, and at the same time, my own memory does worry me.
“My short-term memory is really poor. I can be thinking about something, then go somewhere else and forget what I’m doing.”
The comments of McCoist, 58, come after legendary England World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton was diagnosed with frightening brain condition dementia [BBC Sport].
Former Rangers stars Fernando Ricksen and David Hagen have also passed away in recent years from debilitating degenerative disease Motor Neurone Disease.
