Manchester United star Gordon McQueen’s brain injury ‘likely’ caused by heading footballs

Heading a football ‘likely’ contributed to brain injury which was a factor in the death of former Scotland defender Gordon McQueen, a coroner has ruled.

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

Coroner Jon Heath ruled today that McQueen died from pneumonia as a consequence of the dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

He said: ‘It is likely that repetitive head impacts sustained by heading the ball while playing football contributed to the CTE.’

The former Manchester United and Leeds United player partly attributed his health problems to heading a ball, his daughter previously told the inquest in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, earlier this month.

Asked what her father would say about his dementia, Hayley McQueen, a Sky Sports presenter, said:  ‘He would say ‘yes, heading a football all those years probably hasn’t helped’.”

During the inquest, a consultant who examined McQueen’s brain after his death agreed there was a causal link between CTE and repetitive head injury.

Professor Willie Stewart of Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow described his observations of a membrane in McQueen’s brain appearing torn and CTE present in various places.

Prof Steward said symptoms of CTE were ‘typical in individuals who have long careers – professional footballers and rugby players’.

McQueen made almost 350 appearances as a center-back for St Mirren, Leeds and United between 1970 and 1985.

He was capped for Scotland 30 times between 1974 and 1981.

His daughter said that she did not remember McQueen having head injuries during, except a few concussions.

After retiring as a player, he went on manage Airdrie and coached at St Mirren and Middlesbrough.

This is a breaking news story and is being updated.

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