The coroner stated that the repetitive heading of a football played a role in the passing of Nobby Stiles, an England World Cup champion.
Stiles, aged 78, a former Manchester United player and a member of the 1966 World Cup-winning team, suffered from severe dementia. Throughout his career, he headed a football approximately 140,000 times, as revealed during the inquest held at Stockport Coroner’s Court.
Examination of his brain by experts indicated that his severe dementia was linked to Alzheimer’s disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition associated with head injuries from heading a football.
During the court proceedings, Dr. Daniel Du Plessis, a neuro-pathology expert, stated, “I firmly believe that his repeated heading of the football led to his CTE.”
Alison Mutch, the senior coroner for South Manchester, questioned Dr. Du Plessis regarding the direct link between repeated heading of the ball and Stiles’s CTE, to which he affirmed the connection.
Norbert “Nobby” Stiles, born in Manchester in 1942, was known for his tough playing style as a defensive midfielder, earning 28 caps for England and making nearly 400 appearances for Manchester United.
He passed away in October 2020 after a prolonged illness, prompting his family to advocate for increased support from football authorities for former players dealing with injuries sustained during their careers.
Chris Morris, the area coroner for Greater Manchester South, explained at Stockport Coroner’s Court that a comprehensive inquest was necessary following examinations of samples and medical records by a brain expert.
John Stiles, leading the Football Families for Justice (FFJ) group, has been urging football authorities to provide more assistance after his father had to sell his championship medals to cover dementia care costs.
Numerous former footballers and their families are pursuing legal action against entities such as the Football Association, the Football Association of Wales, and the English Football League, alleging negligence and breach of duty of care towards ex-players.
Legal representatives for the former players and their families have argued that football authorities were aware or should have been aware of the risks associated with repetitive heading of a ball during training and matches, which could lead to brain injuries.
In a separate incident, an inquiry into the passing of Gordon McQueen, a former Scotland, Manchester United, and Leeds United defender, indicated that heading the ball likely contributed to a brain injury that played a role in his demise.
McQueen was also diagnosed with chronic