The son of England's 1966 World Cup winner Nobby Stiles has issued a stark warning about a looming 'epidemic' of brain injuries among footballers, with particular concerns raised for women players. John Stiles' comments follow an inquest held on Wednesday into the death of his father, which concluded that thousands of headers during Nobby Stiles' illustrious career significantly contributed to his chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Senior Coroner Alison Mulch, who recorded Stiles' cause of death in 2020 as Alzheimer's disease with CTE as a contributing factor, is now preparing a prevention of future deaths report. The inquest at Stockport Coroners' Court heard that the former Manchester United and England midfielder, who died aged 78, had headed a football an estimated 140,000 times during his playing days. Neuropathology expert Dr Daniel Du Plessis stated he was "quite convinced" that this extensive heading was the cause of Stiles' CTE.
John Stiles, who co-founded the campaign group Football Families for Justice, highlighted women's football as "a particular concern" that "really needs to be addressed." He explained, "Tragically the brain injuries epidemic will grow as so many more girls play football: women's brains are even more susceptible to damage from heading." He further stressed that "Anybody who heads the ball is very likely to get this disease and, for God's sake, we must do something about it now."
The Football Association (FA) is already taking steps to mitigate risks, phasing out all football heading for players up to Under-11s this year. However, campaigners like John Stiles are calling for more comprehensive action, including a "proper fund" to support ex-players requiring care home assistance. He argued that current funding from the Premier League and the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) is not "adequate" to meet the growing needs.
The issue of neurodegenerative diseases in football has been a growing concern for several years. Four other members of England's 1966 World Cup-winning squad – Sir Bobby Charlton, Jack Charlton, Ray Wilson, and Martin Peters – have also died from dementia-related illnesses. In 2019, an FA and PFA co-funded study revealed that professional footballers were three-and-a-half times more likely to die of neurodegenerative disease compared to age-matched members of the general population. The PFA has previously stated it has established services to support players affected by dementia and similar conditions.