Former England defender Steve Howey has revealed he tries not to think about the impact heading during his career may have had on his life, in light of shocking and increasing links with neurodegenerative disease.
Newcastle legend Howey played as a professional footballer for 16 years, which included more than 300 appearances in the Premier League and Football League, and being capped four times by his country.
As a centre back, heading was a core part of his game – but statistics to emerge since his retirement from football, as well as the ongoing devastating diagnoses of neurodegenerative diseases in former professionals, have meant players face a worrying future.
In the landmark FIELD study, Professor Willie Stewart revealed that defenders were the most at-risk category of football player, being five times more likely than the general population to develop a neurodegenerative condition.
The study also revealed that former professional footballers had an approximately three-and-a-half-fold higher rate of death due to neurodegenerative disease than expected, with the risk increasing further still depending on the length of their career.
Speaking at the world’s first header-free adult match, during which Howey played, he said it is now important to raise awareness of the risks to current and future generations of players.
Steve Howey speaks to NR Times editor Deborah Johnson
Asked about the findings of the FIELD study, he told NR Times: “I try not to think about it, I’d probably worry if I did.
“Sometimes I might be talking and I see the word I want to use but can’t find the term for it, I get very frustrated – but I’m 50 next month and (a potential link) is something I try not to think about.
“In my career, we were heading every day, some days were specifically about concentrating on heading. With this match today, we’re not saying heading should be banned, but for centre halves and centre forwards in particular, it (the rules around heading) probably does need looking at.”
The first-of-its-kind match, held by Spennymoor Town, saw an array of former footballers taking part to raise awareness and stimulate discussion around the dangers of heading.
The event was organised by Head for Change, a charity co-founded by chair Dr Judith Gates following her husband Bill’s diagnosis with sports-related dementia. Bill was a defender who played for Middlesbrough and Spennymoor Town.
Asked about taking part, Howey said: “It’s a great opportunity to highlight the risks. It is certainly different playing in a match with no heading, but look at all the different rule changes there have been in football over the years which you have to adapt to.
“It’s great seeing all the ex-players taking part and raising awareness.”
