Heading for Dementia?
…but it was a Wonderful Life
By Paul Fletcher with Dave Thomas
This is a book about the perils of heading a football for a living and the prospects of succumbing to dementia. Paul Fletcher was a 1970s centre forward and wonders now what the future holds.
The history of football and heading is not a happy one. The numbers of footballers who have succumbed to dementia is horrifying. A name appears in the press on an almost weekly basis of a player who has been diagnosed or passed away. They have been impacted by Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Paul Fletcher now wonders if he will one day become a victim having headed a ball for a living at Bolton, Burnley and Blackpool.
He looks back over his life and ponders on one day being unable to remember the wonderful life he had. Today it is established that there is a causal link between heading and dementia in football but football bodies are loathe to officially acknowledge this fearing a tidal wave of claims for support. The PFA does provide a Brain Fund but it is not enough.
The campaign for recognition and greater support was started by Dawn Astle and she has been joined by John Stiles and Judith Gates. They do not suggest that heading should be banned but limited in training sessions.
Heading for Dementia looks at the nature of dementia, and the numbers of victims over the years at one club in particular, Burnley. It is a controversial topic but is now well and truly in the public domain. It should set you thinking about solutions, if indeed there are any.
THE AUTHORS
Dave Thomas, from Leeds, has written over thirty football books, several of them being for Pitch over the years. He is a former headmaster of a small village school near Leeds and a longstanding Burnley supporter since the title season of 1959/60. He has also written for the Times Educational Supplement and various magazines. His stories about growing up in a small Yorkshire town and his hilarious times as a headteacher are now in book form.
Paul Fletcher began his football career at Bolton Wanderers but is best known for his time at Burnley in the 1970s. It was a side that was so close to being great until Bob Lord sold all the best players. He went on to become an esteemed after dinner speaker, a stadium designer, and then the CEO at Burnley FC. He is a founder member of the University College of Football Business, has written several books and now lives in sunny Lancashire.