The first-ever adult football match to restrict the use of heading has been held to raise awareness of the dangers of headers in football, prompting discussion and debate over the issue internationally.
The Bill Gates Celebration Trophy saw an array of former professionals playing in a football match, which raised vital money for charity while raising awareness of the links between heading and players developing neurodegenerative conditions later in life.
Bill Gates, a former Middlesbrough and Spennymoor Town defender, was diagnosed with sports-related dementia in 2017 – one of a growing number of former footballers to be given such a devastating diagnosis – and his family pledged that his legacy would be to be part of the solution to a safer game for future generations.
The match, held at Spennymoor Town Football Club, was raising money for Head for Change and the Solan Connor Fawcett Family Cancer Trust, and finished in a 5-5 draw. Team Solan won on penalties. The rules were that heading was allowed only in the box in the first half and not at all in the second half.
No players wore numbers apart from one player from each team bearing the number 5 – Bill’s old shirt number – and the shirts were adorned with the names of beloved former footballers.
The occasion has attracted discussion around the world, with media outlets from across Europe coming to Spennymoor to attend the match and messages of support being received from across the globe.
Dr Judith Gates, chair and co-founder of Head for Change – a charity established to provide care and support to sportspeople, and champions education, advocacy and research – said she is pleased the event had generated widespread discussion.
“What we want people to take away from today is an awareness of the reality of the dangers of heading the ball,” she told NR Times, who attended the match at The Brewery Field.
“We are not calling for a ban on heading in the game but we do need to look at research and be open-minded about what action to take.
“We are very pleased to see the FA have reduced headers in training to 10 high force headers a week. We know heading is dangerous, but we don’t know if it is safe, so it is something we need to keep continually under review.”
Mark Solan, founder of the Solan Connor Fawcett Cancer Trust, teamed up to host the match with Head for Change having been inspired by its motivation.
“We want to support the cause and know we need change, it’s not about banning heading, it’s raising awareness of the effect that heading the ball can have,” he said.
“We have a really easy relationship with Head for Change – Judith’s family have been affected by cancer, and my nan had dementia, we share a desire to change things for the future for people.
“We’re united behind both of our causes in aid of the Bill Gates Celebration Trophy and people understand what today is about. We hope it’ll now become an annual event.”
