Richard Boardman, the solicitor at the centre of a high-stakes brain injury lawsuit involving top-flight rugby players, has made it clear that he's not about to hang up his gloves just yet. Despite being dismissed by over 1,000 former rugby stars who'd entrusted him with their fight for compensation, Boardman is doubling down on another claim – this time on behalf of 23 former footballers who allege permanent brain damage was inflicted upon them during their careers.
The news will come as a blow to the rugby players, including World Cup heroes Steve Thompson and Phil Vickery, who've been fighting for justice for six long years. The saga took a dramatic turn this week when Master Jeremy Cook, the presiding judge, tore into Boardman's handling of the case, highlighting alleged 'widespread non-compliance' and 'misleading evidence'. The judge even went so far as to question whether the rugby claim should be struck off entirely – leaving numerous former union and league players without resolution.
But Boardman remains undeterred, insisting he'll continue to lead the football case against the Football Association, English Football League, and FA of Wales. This group of claimants includes the families of World Cup legend Nobby Stiles and former Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear – all of whom are seeking compensation for the damage they believe was done during their playing careers.
With its smaller number of claimants and fewer medical records to sift through, the football case is viewed as a more manageable beast for Rylands Garth. Coincidentally, the FA changed its defence team in this case earlier in 2026 – and both parties are currently locked in a battle of wits, exchanging documents as the legal proceedings continue.
For the rugby claimants, however, the search is on for new representation. While Boardman's still technically at the helm until a replacement is found, he's been conspicuous by his absence from recent court hearings – with Leigh Day taking on consultancy work since February 2026 and mulling over whether to take on the complex case.