Former Scotland, Manchester United and St Mirren defender Gordon McQueen has been diagnosed with vascular dementia, his family have confirmed.
The 68-year-old started his career at the Buddies before moving to Leeds in 1972 where he won the First Division title and helped the Whites to the 1975 European Cup final.
McQueen went onto enjoy a successful time with Manchester United and represented his country proudly on 30 occasions, scoring five goals. He ia also a member of the Scottish Football Hall of Fame, class of 2012.
A statement released by his wife Yvonne and his family read: “In January, Gordon McQueen, our dad, was formally diagnosed with vascular dementia.
“As a family we felt it was important to let people know, particularly if raising awareness can help others in similar situations.
“Whilst as a family we’ve found it hard to come to terms with the changes in dad, he has no regrets about his career and has lived life to the full.
“He had unforgettable experiences in his playing days with Scotland, Manchester United and Leeds United, and also took so much from his coaching and TV work in more recent times.
“Football has allowed him to travel the world and experience things he could only have dreamed of.
“But he wants other footballers of today’s generation to know there may be risks with persistent heading of the ball.
“Dad scored some important goals in his career and memorable headers but used to stay back in training, heading the ball to the goalkeeper for practice over and over.
“He does wonder if this has been a factor in his dementia as his symptoms appeared in his mid-60s.
“The last year in and out of lockdown has been tough as dad is such a sociable person and thrives off company.
“Social interaction is key for someone with dementia and he has been deprived of this for so long. He is fully aware of his friends and family still and his memory of all things football is sharp, but his cognitive functions are not the same.
“We don’t want people to be surprised by his condition or continue to ask him for media interviews or autographs which he is not able to do any more.
“Whilst he is looking forward to seeing people again after lockdown and getting the social aspect of life back, we know people will see a big difference in his health so wanted to be transparent.
“We thank everyone in advance for their understanding and hope sharing this news will help dad to face the future in a positive way.”
Former Celtic captain Billy McNeill passed away on April 22, 2019, at the age of 79, after suffering with dementia over the years. His fellow Lisbon Lion Stevie Chalmers also died a few short days after Cesar after also dealing with dementia.
Icon McNeill's widow Liz set up The Billy McNeill Fund which provides financial aid and therapeutic supports to former playerswho are suffering with the neurological disease.
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