'Heading ball likely contributed to McQueen's brain disease'

Repeatedly heading a football "likely" contributed to the brain disease which was a factor in the death of former Scotland and Manchester United footballer Gordon McQueen, an inquest has found.

McQueen, who was diagnosed with vascular dementia, died in 2023 aged 70.

An inquest into his death held in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, concluded with a narrative verdict on Monday, with senior coroner John Heath telling the court: "I have found that Mr McQueen suffered repetitive head impacts during his career.

"I am satisfied that on the balance of probability that repeatedly heading footballs contributed to his developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

"The combination of CTE and vascular dementia led to pneumonia. I find the cause of death pneumonia, vascular dementia and CTE.

"It is likely that repetitive head impacts, sustained by heading the ball while playing football, contributed to the CTE."

McQueen played 30 times for Scotland and made almost 350 appearances for St Mirren, Leeds and United as a central defender between 1970 and 1985, before managing Airdrie and coaching at St Mirren and Middlesbrough.

Professor Willie Stewart, a consultant neuropathologist at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow who examined McQueen's brain after his death, described to BBC Sport how a membrane in the brain appeared torn and that CTE was present in various locations in McQueen's brain.

"CTE contributed to his death significantly," said Prof Stewart, adding that the only available causal evidence was exposure to repeated impacts - heading a football.

Prof Stewart said symptoms of CTE were cognitive decline and neuro-behaviour change, and that they "can't be explained by another condition - it must be progressive".

He said symptoms were "typical in professional football and rugby players who have long careers".

"Goalkeepers, who don't typically head the ball, have a risk equivalent to general population, whereas in outfield positions, particularly defenders, the risk is higher," he added.