FERGIE BACKS CHANGE IN LAW TO HELP BRAIN INJURED PLAYERS

As Scottish football loses another legend to dementia, calls to class it as a work injury

- PAUL HUTCHEON

SIR Alex Ferguson has joined forces with 30 other football legends to demand brain injuries caused by heading the ball are classed as an industrial injury.

The ex-Aberdeen and Manchester United boss is one of four former Scottish managers to call for retired players suffering from dementia to get help via the devolved social security system.

The demand comes after former Scotland hero Gordon McQueen, 70, passed away from dementia last Thursday.

The historic declaration states: "For a generation of our greats, they are facing their final injury time - and time is running out." A 2019 study by Glasgow University professor Willie Stewart found ex-footballers were about three-and-a-half times more likely to die of neurodegenerative brain disease than members of the general population. Other research revealed footballers who play in defence are five times more likely to have dementia than non-footballers.

Ferguson, Gordon Strachan, Alex McLeish and Craig Levein, who have all managed Scotland, are among legends urging the Scottish Government to use new social security powers.

If the campaign is successful, it would see players with football-related brain injuries qualify for benefit payments.

The statement reads: "The evidence is now clear. Former professional footballers are three-and-a-half times more likely to die of brain injuries, including dementia, than people of the same age range in the general population.

"Brain injuries from repetitive head impacts have resulted in a generation of players being afflicted by this decline in brain function.

"These players were injured at work. We must recognise that. Those in power must now recognise it, too.