Dean Windass, who won Hull City promotion to Premier League, diagnosed with dementia | UK News

Dean Windass, the previous Hull Metropolis, Bradford Metropolis and Middlesbrough footballer, has been identified with dementia.

The 55-year-old ex-striker was identified final yr however shared it publicly on Friday, as campaigners pushed for extra assist for footballers affected by neurodegenerative ailments.

In the course of the early levels of dementia, folks present a really delicate cognitive decline, together with occasional reminiscence loss and struggles discovering phrases, based on Dementia UK.

Posting on X, Windass stated he was okay and joked he “was delighted to seek out out I had a mind”.

“Simply hope different households get the assistance what they need for the folks they’ve misplaced,” he added.

He additionally posted a video on social media of him singing alongside to Rhinestone Cowboy by Glen Campbell, and wrote “simply obtained to maintain smiling”.

Former Manchester United star David Might shared Windass’s prognosis – along with his permission – throughout a BBC Breakfast interview earlier within the day, saying the previous striker had stage two dementia.

“I truly stated, ‘Would you thoughts if I discussed it?’ And he went, ‘No. 100% – you point out it. Get it on the market’. To not put Deano underneath the highlight, however the problem,” he advised Sky Information’ sports activities correspondent Rob Harris.

Might, a defender with United’s 1999 treble profitable workforce, additionally revealed his fears about his long-term well being.

“Ask me would I do it once more? Soccer? 100% – as a result of I really like soccer. It is my life,” he stated.

“Would I’ve finished as many headers by means of coaching, and repeatedly heading in coaching? Possibly not.

“However I’ve simply obtained to attend and see. It is a ready recreation. Are you going to be the one which’s going to overlook it?

“One in three-and-a-half folks will get dementia who’ve turn into skilled footballers.”

He added: ” I would hate my kids to undergo that, realizing their dad does not know them, does not recognise them, cannot communicate to them. It is tragic.”

Windass began his profession at Hull Metropolis, coaching as a part of their youth workforce earlier than being launched and enjoying for non-league North Ferriby United.

He had a number of senior spells with Hull, beginning in 1991, making his league debut at 22 and turning into a fan favorite till he was bought to Aberdeen in 1995.

After stints with Oxford United, Bradford Metropolis, Middlesbrough and Sheffield United, Windass returned to Hull Metropolis in 2007, serving to hold the membership within the Championship.

His most well-known second got here as he scored a volley from the sting of the world within the 2008 play-off closing towards Bristol Metropolis, profitable Hull promotion to the Premier League for the primary time of their historical past.

After his retirement in 2009 – barring a short game-by-game spell at Scarborough United – he grew to become Hull Metropolis’s membership ambassador in 2015, earlier than being inducted into its corridor of fame in 2020.

Earlier on Friday, former England captain David Beckham joined a Soccer Households for Justice occasion in Manchester to name for extra to be finished to help gamers with dementia.

He advised the occasion that three of his mentors round Manchester United – England World Cup winners Sir Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles, and Class of 92 youth coach Eric Harrison – died from neurodegenerative ailments.

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The campaigners had been joined by Higher Manchester and Liverpool Metropolis Area mayors Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram to name on the federal government to amend the Soccer Governance Invoice to take care of the “mind illness epidemic” within the sport.