Latest news with #BillyAgainstDementia
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Celtic star Payton is diagnosed with dementia aged 57
Former Celtic star Andy Payton, 57, is battling dementia. The striker has been diagnosed with early-onset form of the killer condition that has struck several footballers including Hoops legend Billy McNeill. Mr Payton who played for the Parkhead club in the 90s is convinced playing football has caused his serious health problem. He said: 'I was just experiencing the usual symptoms - forgetfulness, loss of memory and headaches, but I was n't expecting to have early onset dementia, 'It's properly frightening, you just don't know what's coming down the line. 'My partner more or less manages my day-to-day life, so I know exactly what I'm doing. where I need to be so I don't forget anything. 'The neurologist who did my scan said there are 68 tracts in the brain and 27 of mine are damaged. 'That's half the brain that's damaged. 'The neurologist said it's from football, there's no other thing it can be.' He said that during his playing career he spent hours on end practicing heading footballs. Now he has problems remembering what he's eaten just an hour before. Mr Payton added: 'It was just header, header, bang, bang, bang. 'We'd do it every day, sometimes for an hour and a half. 'I must have headed the ball about 10,000 times, hence the fact I've ended with early onset dementia at 57.' Several players from Celtic's 'Lisbon Lions' team, who won the European Cup in 1967, have been diagnosed with dementia, including Bertie Auld and Billy McNeill. The former died at 83 after being diagnosed with dementia five months before his passing, while the latter died in 2019 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2010. Lisbon winning goal scorer Stevie Chalmers also died from the condition. In Scotland charities and loved ones have demanded more help for footie legends with dementia amid concerns they are missing out on aid available to ex-stars in England. Hundreds of families of former players battling the condition down south have benefited from a £1.5million fund set up with English Premier League cash but there is no comparable scheme here. The pleas for support came after Scotland's joint-top goal scorer Denis Law and ex-Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood became the latest heroes to lose their fights with the memory-robbing disease. Battle Against Dementia charity chief Douglas McCluskey urged game bosses to find more cash - amid links between heading a football repeatedly and brain damage. He has campaigned alongside the family of former Celtic captain and manager Billy McNeill. Their Billy Against Dementia fund have raised tens of thousands of pounds via raffles, T-shirt sales, charity golf tournaments and gala dinners.
Daily Record
04-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Ex-Celtic striker Andy Payton reveals dementia battle aged 57
Andy Payton said a lot of his brain is badly damaged and now relies heavily on his partner. Former Celtic striker Andy Payton has revealed he is living with early onset dementia at the age of 57. The retired footballer, who played for the Parkhead club in the 1990s, says he was left stunned by the diagnosis and believes years of heading footballs is to blame. He now relies heavily on his partner to manage his day-to-day life, reports the Sun. Speaking candidly, Payton said: 'I was just experiencing the usual symptoms – forgetfulness, loss of memory and headaches – but I was not expecting to have early-onset dementia. It's properly frightening, you just don't know what's coming down the line. 'My partner more or less manages my day-to-day life, so I know exactly what I'm doing and where I need to be so I don't forget anything.' Following a brain scan, Payton was told by a neurologist that 27 of the 68 tracts in his brain were damaged. He said: 'That's half the brain. The neurologist said it's from football – there's no other thing it can be.' The former forward recalled endless sessions of heading drills during his playing days, estimating he may have headed the ball over 10,000 times. 'It was just header, header, bang, bang, bang. We'd do it every day, sometimes for an hour and a half,' he said. Now, he struggles to remember what he ate just an hour before. His fate echoes those of other Celtic greats, including Lisbon Lions Billy McNeill, Bertie Auld and Stevie Chalmers – all of whom were diagnosed with dementia before their deaths. In Scotland, families and campaigners have raised serious concerns about the lack of financial support for ex-players battling the condition, especially when compared with England, where a £1.5million fund using Premier League cash is helping families. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Douglas McCluskey, of the Battle Against Dementia charity, has been campaigning for better support north of the Border alongside the family of Celtic legend Billy McNeill. Their Billy Against Dementia fund has raised tens of thousands of pounds through raffles, T-shirts, golf tournaments and dinners. He said: 'We need the football authorities to step up. These men gave everything for the game – the game needs to give something back.'
Scottish Sun
04-05-2025
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Former Celtic star, 57, reveals battle with dementia as he says ‘it's from football, there's no other thing it can be'
The striker has told how scans showed damage to half of his brain HEALTH BATTLE Former Celtic star, 57, reveals battle with dementia as he says 'it's from football, there's no other thing it can be' FORMER Celtic star Andy Payton, 57, has told of his battle with dementia. The striker has been diagnosed with early-onset form of the killer condition that has struck several Hoops legends including club legend Billy McNeill. 3 Andy Payton spent a season with Celtic during the 1990s Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd 3 He scored 15 goals in all competitions Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd Payton who played for the Parkhead club in the 90s is convinced playing football has caused his serious health problem. He said: "I was just experiencing the usual symptoms - forgetfulness, loss of memory and headaches, but I was not expecting to have early onset dementia, "It's properly frightening, you just don't know what's coming down the line. "My partner more or less manages my day-to-day life, so I know exactly what I'm doing. where I need to be so I don't forget anything. "The neurologist who did my scan said there are 68 tracts in the brain and 27 of mine are damaged. "That's half the brain that's damaged. "The neurologist said it's from football, there's no other thing it can be." Peyton said when he played he spent hours on end practicing heading footballs. Now he has problems remembering what he's eaten just an hour before. He added: "It was just header, header, bang, bang, bang. Next season will be Brendan Rodgers' LAST as Celtic manager says Robert Grieve "We'd do it every day, sometimes for an hour and a half. "I must have headed the ball about 10,000 times, hence the fact I've ended with early onset dementia at 57." Several players from Celtic's "Lisbon Lions" team, who won the European Cup in 1967, have been diagnosed with dementia, including Bertie Auld and Billy McNeill. Auld died at 83 after being diagnosed with dementia five months before his passing, while McNeill died in 2019 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2010. Lisbon winning goalscorer Stevie Chalmers also died from the condition. In Scotland charities and loved ones have demanded more help for footie legends with dementia amid concerns they are missing out on aid available to ex-stars in England. Hundreds of families of former players battling the condition down south have benefited from a £1.5million fund set up with English Premier League cash but there is no comparable scheme here. The pleas for support came after Scotland's joint-top goalscorer Denis Law and ex-Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood became the latest heroes to lose their fights with the memory-robbing disease. Battle Against Dementia charity chief Douglas McCluskey urged game bosses to find more cash — amid links between heading a football repeatedly and brain damage. He has campaigned alongside the family of former Celtic captain and manager Billy McNeill. Their Billy Against Dementia fund have raised tens of thousands of pounds via raffles, T-shirt sales, charity golf tournaments and gala dinners. 3 Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
