Dean Windass’ dementia diagnosis revealed as authorities urged to tackle disease
Dean Windass’ dementia diagnosis revealed as authorities urged to tackle disease
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Dean Windass’ dementia diagnosis was revealed on Friday as campaigners sought to bring political pressure to bear on football to tackle neurodegenerative disease among former players. The 55-year-old former Hull, Bradford and Aberdeen striker was diagnosed with stage two dementia last year but it only came to light on Friday morning, with ex-Manchester United defender David May revealing the news with Windass’ blessing during a BBC Breakfast interview.
Windass, whose goal sealed Hull’s promotion to the Premier League in 2008, posted on X: “Seriously I am ok was delighted to find out I had a brain. Just hope other families get the help what they want for the people they have lost.”. He told The Mirror: “My phone has gone mad because everyone thinks I’m dying. I’m not dying. I’m all right.
“I’m honestly fine. I’m not dying. I could walk out my front door and get run over. People don’t need to worry about me, it’s fine. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in five years or tomorrow. I just get on with it. “. The diagnosis at such a young age for Windass has brought home the reality that this remains a major problem in football.
The Football Families for Justice (FFJ) campaign has the support of former England captain David Beckham, and is now seeking to secure an amendment to the Football Governance Bill which would give the independent regulator the power to make it a statutory duty on the football authorities to develop a comprehensive dementia strategy, including a care fund agreed with affected players and their families.
