Dementia in football: Phase out heading in game, says Terry Butcher

Former England captain Terry Butcher has called for the gradual phasing out of heading in football to prevent "catastrophic" head injuries.

The 62-year-old told The Sports Desk podcast that he believes it's "something we can do without".

Last year the family of 1966 World Cup winner Nobby Stiles said football needed to "address the scandal" of dementia in the game.

"Eventually I want to see football with no heading," Butcher said.

• Listen to Butcher's interview in full on The Sports Desk Podcast

Previous research has shown that ex-footballers are three and a half times more likely to die of dementia than the general population.

The Football Association recently recommended that a maximum of "10 higher-force headers" are carried out in any training week to protect player welfare. The practice has been banned in under-11s sessions and is restricted among other age groups.

Butcher, who played as a centre-back for Ipswich and Rangers, famously wounded his head playing for England against Sweden in 1989 - leaving him covered in blood.

"The doctor had to be very quick to get the stitches in and get you back on the pitch as soon as possible," Butcher said.

"People obviously just saw the games, they didn't see the training. Heading was an integral part of the training session. Every week, just trying to clear lines, defending crosses."

When Stiles died in October last year he was the fifth member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning team to have been diagnosed with dementia.

His son John said he had "no doubt" that heading had lead to his father's death.

In 2014, a re-examination of the brain of former West Bromwich Albion player Jeff Astle, who died in 2002, revealed that his death was caused by a condition normally linked to boxers.

"We've seen pictures of a lot of the footballers of past generations where they've got dementia and Alzheimer's and it breaks your heart. The family are the ones that will really suffer and friends as well because it's not a nice thing to happen and it's not a nice thing to witness," said Butcher.

"I think what the Astle family and the Stiles family is looking for is the organisations - Fifa, Uefa, especially the Football Association - to look after the families that are suffering now."

'Heading can adapt as well'

Last week Spennymoor Town and Team Solon played the first adult 11-a-side football match with heading restrictions to raise awareness of dementia.

And Butcher said that modern playing styles mean that heading is not essential.

"I think [heading] is something that has been strong, particularly in Britain with the way that we used to play, but not so much now," he said. "I think it's something that we can do without.

"It would rule out the trauma of heading a football particularly at pace - brain trauma, because your brain is going to rattle against your skull. You're looking at aerial collisions where you know you have no real control.

"I don't think that people actually realise the importance of this and realise that there's something in football that can be catastrophic for players in the future.

"The tackles now are really watered down from what they were in my era because of the risk of a red card. Heading can adapt as well.

"I think the fans just love seeing good football being played."

FA response

In a statement, the FA said it had "helped to lead the way in ground-breaking research", adding that "alongside the PFA, we have issued a call for research for new independent evidence-based research into the increased risk of death from neurodegenerative disorders in former professional footballers, focusing primarily on what causes the increased risk.

"We have made changes to the way the game is played in England. This includes issuing heading guidance across every level of the English football pyramid. We are also supporting the trial of concussion substitutes across the Emirates FA Cup, Barclays FA Women's Super League and FA Women's Championship.

"Collaboration across football's governing bodies is key in order to better understand this important issue collectively, and we firmly believe that all areas of football should come together for this meaningful cause."