sport news Son of Manchester United legend Nobby Stiles calls for increased player ... trends now
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John Stiles has zero doubts. ‘Football killed dad,’ he says. ‘Football needs to be held responsible for that.’ Thanks to his tireless campaigning, the story is a familiar one. John’s father, Nobby, is an English football icon.
His dancing on the Wembley turf as newly-crowned world champion in 1966 is etched into the country’s sporting conscious. But when Nobby passed away two years ago, having suffered with advanced dementia, he was abandoned by those whom he had served with distinction. Those who, John firmly believes, he gave his life for.
‘When dad died we donated his brain to (expert) Dr Willie Stewart and the findings were clear,’ he says. ‘The CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy - a brain disease caused by repeated blows to the head) was everywhere.
'Football had done the damage.’ Stiles, himself a player with the likes of Leeds United and Doncaster Rovers, took up the baton. He was a key player in this newspaper’s campaign. He tried to visit clubs to warn players of the dangers involved. He wrote to all 92. He hit brick walls.
‘We want help for families who are not getting it,’ he explains. ‘We want a fund created that pays for long-term health costs. It hasn’t happened. Despite everything. We’ve had enough. This is the last resort.’ For Stiles, the legal action is about more than money. ‘The
