Family of Football Legend Gordon McQueen Issues Urgent Safety Plea Following Inquest Findings
The grieving family of former Scotland and Manchester United defender Gordon McQueen has issued a powerful call for football to implement immediate safety reforms. This comes after a coroner's inquest concluded that repeatedly heading the ball during his professional career was "likely" to have contributed to a brain injury that played a significant role in his death.
Coroner's Narrative Points Directly to Football's Risks
An inquest held in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, heard that McQueen passed away at his home in June 2023 at the age of 70. The official cause of death was pneumonia, but Coroner Jon Heath established this was a consequence of underlying conditions: mixed vascular dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
In a crucial narrative conclusion, Coroner Heath stated: "It is likely that repetitive head impacts sustained by heading the ball while playing football contributed to the CTE." This direct link between McQueen's football career and his neurodegenerative disease has sent shockwaves through the sport.
Daughters Speak Out on Legacy and Systemic Failures
Following the hearing, McQueen's daughters—TV presenter Hayley McQueen and her sister Anna Forbes—spoke passionately about the need for change. Hayley McQueen emphasised that football authorities missed a critical turning point years ago following similar cases, like that of Jeff Astle.
"Hopefully, my dad's legacy will not just be what he gave football on the pitch but what we can learn from this," she said. "We must make sure this really horrible problem isn't a problem for future generations. They need help from the footballing authorities, but there also needs to be changes—potential legislation and just education."
She revealed her father had suspected heading was the cause, stating: "He was certain himself it was possibly from heading footballs. Now it's not just 'could it be this, could it be that?'. We know it is."
Family Criticises Lack of Support from Players' Union
In a damning indictment, Anna Forbes accused the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) of failing her father during his lifetime, labelling the union a "disgrace". She claimed the PFA did not respond to pleas for help, forcing the family to deplete their savings for private care.
"We relied on charities such as Head for Change to support his respite care because the PFA gave us nothing, no support whatsoever," Ms Forbes told the media.
Wider Pattern Emerges Among Former Players
The sisters highlighted that their father's case is far from isolated. Hayley McQueen reported speaking with numerous ex-players from her father's era who are "terrified" about their own neurological health.
"I know a lot of footballers whose families have reached out who have symptoms very similar to that of my dad, and I think we're going to start to see more and more," she warned. She pointed to the England 1966 World Cup team, "pretty much wiped out with neurodegenerative disease," and noted serious concerns for players from the 1960s through the early 1990s.
She even revealed that some ex-Manchester United teammates offered brain scans have refused them, "because they're terrified of what they're going to find out."
Expert Testimony and Charitable Response
The inquest heard that McQueen's family donated his brain for research to Professor Willie Stewart, a leading neuropathologist at Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. Professor Stewart confirmed evidence of CTE and vascular dementia, agreeing that heading the ball contributed "more than minimally, negligibly or trivially" to his death.
Judith Gates, founder of Head Safe Football charity, said the verdict was significant: "Gordon died from CTE. CTE is only caused by repeated impact. Therefore, how do you solve repetitive head impacts? You reduce the frequency."
Football's Governing Bodies Respond
In response to the inquest, a PFA spokesperson acknowledged "an ongoing need for a collective response" to support affected former players and families, promising to pursue clarity on conditions linked to head impacts with government and sports authorities.
The Football Association pointed to proactive steps already taken, including heading guidance for professional and amateur games in England and optimised concussion protocols. They emphasised continued investment in "objective, robust and thorough research" to better understand the risks.
A Celebrated Career Remembered
Gordon McQueen enjoyed a distinguished 16-year career, earning 30 caps for Scotland between 1974 and 1981. After moving from St Mirren to Leeds United in 1972, he helped the club win the league title in 1973-74 and reach the 1975 European Cup final. A 1978 transfer to Manchester United saw him lift the FA Cup in 1983, though injury denied him a World Cup appearance in 1978.
Known as a commanding central defender who scored crucial goals with his head, McQueen later moved into coaching at Airdrie, St Mirren, and Middlesbrough, before becoming a respected pundit on Scottish TV and Sky Sports.
His family's plea now adds substantial weight to the growing demand for football to confront the long-term health consequences of heading and to enact meaningful protections for players at all levels of the game.
