The death of England and Manchester United legend Nobby Stiles was 'significantly contributed to' by chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) caused by repeated heading of the ball, a coroner has ruled. Senior coroner Alison Mutch, sitting at Stockport Coroner's Court on July 15, 2026, said she was 'entirely satisfied' that Stiles developed CTE due to heading the ball and that the condition contributed to his death.
Heading Regime and Estimated 136,000 Headers
Stiles' son, John Stiles, told the inquest that by a 'very conservative' estimate, his father would have headed a ball 40 times a day, five days a week, each ten-month season across a 17-year career. This amounts to more than 136,000 headers. John Stiles noted that most people focus on headers in matches, but players would only head the ball around 10 times per game. He described the training regimes at Manchester United's Cliff training ground, where players would head the ball repeatedly.
John Stiles said: 'They would head the ball that many times, they would not be able to count it. It wasn't forced upon them. They were enjoying being footballers. It was exciting. What they obviously didn't know was what was happening every time they headed a football.' He also highlighted that modern balls have much more velocity, with research showing that heading a modern ball from a corner could have '80 percent of the power of a boxer's punch.'
CTE Diagnosis and Dementia Progression
Nobby Stiles died on October 30, 2020, aged 78, at a care home in Urmston. He had been suffering from dementia, and his family had to sell some of his precious medals to pay for his care. An examination of his brain after death revealed a 'complex mix of conditions,' including Alzheimer's Disease and CTE. Neuropathologist Dr. Du Plessis, who examined Stiles' brain samples after the case was referred to the coroner in 2024, said there was 'absolute proof' of high-stage CTE and that he was 'quite convinced his heading the football that many times has caused his CTE.'
Dr. Du Plessis stated that while Alzheimer's Disease was the primary cause of death, he had 'no doubt that some of his dementia was contributed to by CTE.' He noted that the 'bigger question' of whether repeated minor head injuries like heading could make people more susceptible to Alzheimer's, accelerate it, or make it worse remains 'unanswered' by science but is 'being looked into.'
Coroner's Conclusion and Actions
Coroner Mutch recorded a narrative conclusion that Stiles died of 'natural causes in combination with CTE caused by repeated heading of the ball during his football career.' She said Stiles was required to head the ball in training and matches 'many times, many days of the week,' which had a 'profound impact on him in later life.' She added: 'For a man who graced the pitches of some of the world's greatest football grounds, it is difficult to imagine a sadder way to end their life.'
Mutch plans to write to the Football Association (FA) and the Department for Education (DofE) regarding the dangers of heading the ball, stating that it is an 'ongoing issue' and that she is 'required in her law' to raise her concerns.
Family Campaign and Football Industry Response
John Stiles, who set up the Football Families for Justice group, said the coroner's findings were 'no surprise' and that he believes it will be among 'the first few of thousands of such inquests of players who have incurred brain injuries.' He described it as an 'epidemic' but said there is still 'massive ignorance' and called on the game to 'do something to educate all youngsters, everyone who plays football about CTE.'
In 2023, the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) and the Premier League announced a £1 million fund to assist former players and their families impacted by dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions. In 2024, the FA introduced a phased ban on deliberate heading in grassroots matches for under-11s and below.
John Stiles said: 'We have to do something about it, drastically. We don't want to stop people heading the ball. But youngsters now are not informed about the risks. If someone is informed, then they can make a proper decision.'
