Terrible news today that the Lawman has been diagnosed with vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Full statement - https://www.skysports.com/football/...scotland-legend-diagnosed-with-mixed-dementia
I know that the debate about heading the ball continues, but the modern ball is a featherweight compared to footballs back in the day. Its no wonder that so many players from that era are suffering the after effects and I'm sure we will hear more tragic stories like this for a few more years. I had the very great pleasure of being able to watch the Lawman, Charlton and Best play and it was an absolute joy. Given the state of the pitches, the leaden weight of the ball he could still dance it through any defence in the league. You can only imagine how brightly their talents would shine if they could play the game today. Legends doesn't do it justice.,
Saw his documentary The Law Man recently. Well worth a watch. He looked frail in that, although still lucid and not obviously suffering from dementia. He clearly had a few issues though. I think the power speed and firmness of the new balls is the equivalent of the combined speed and heaviness of the older balls though?
on the dementia debate The research by the University of Glasgow, which was funded by the Football Association and players' union the Professional Footballers' Association, also found that risk increased the longer a player's football career was. And despite changes in football technology and head-injury management in recent years, there was no evidence that neurodegenerative disease risk changed for footballers in this study, whose careers spanned from about 1930 to the late 1990s.
One freezing February afternoon in the late 60's I had the misfortune to mis time a header for a football that was probably the same density as a breeze block. My nose went three different ways which is why Steve Bruce is my idol. The modern ball is like a balloon in comparison so I don't see how the risk is such an issue.
it is due to repetitive mild brain trauma / concussion rather than a small number of serious trauma / concussion . There are ongoing studies to try to identify if the risk is now lower amongst modern players .
