A coroner has determined that heading a football “likely” played a role in the brain injury that contributed to the death of former Scotland defender Gordon McQueen.
McQueen, who earned 30 caps for Scotland from 1974 to 1981 and had a notable career with both Manchester United and Leeds, passed away in June 2023 at the age of 70 at his home in North Yorkshire.
During the inquest in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, earlier this month, it was revealed that pneumonia was the cause of death, as McQueen had become frail and bed-bound for several months.
This frailty stemmed from a mix of vascular dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), as noted by coroner Jon Heath.
On Monday, the coroner provided a narrative conclusion, determining that McQueen died of pneumonia as a result of combined vascular dementia and CTE.
He stated, “It is likely that repetitive head impacts from heading the ball during football contributed to the CTE.”