A coroner has ruled that a full inquest must be held into the death of England World Cup winner and Manchester United legend Nobby Stiles, who died with a traumatic brain injury known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), linked to repeatedly heading a football.
Coroner's Decision
Chris Morris, area coroner for Greater Manchester South, told Stockport Coroner's Court on Friday that a brain expert had examined samples and medical records, and due to the traumatic injury, a full inquest would be required. Stiles, 78, who died in October 2020 after a long illness, was a key member of England's 1966 World Cup-winning team and Manchester United's 1968 European Cup-winning side.
Norbert “Nobby” Stiles, born in Manchester in 1942, was a tough-tackling defensive midfielder, capped 28 times by England and played nearly 400 times for Manchester United. His family has since campaigned for football authorities to do more to help ex-players cope with injuries they claim were caused during their playing days.
Medical Evidence
The coroner said Stiles's brain had been examined by neuropathology expert Dr Daniel du Plessis. Following examination and review of Stiles's medical records, Dr Du Plessis expressed the opinion that Stiles's cause of death was Alzheimer's disease, but also said his death was contributed to by high-stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), along with “stage three limbic predominant age related TDP-43” and small vessel cerebrovascular disease.
Mr Morris said: “On the basis of that cause of death, particularly the inclusion of a traumatic injury included in the cause of death, I’m satisfied an inquest is required into the sad death of Mr Stiles.” The full inquest hearing will be held on Wednesday, July 15, at the same court.
Family's Campaign
Stiles's son John has previously said that football had “killed” his father. John Stiles is head of the Football Families for Justice (FFJ) group, which is calling on the football authorities to do more after his father was forced to sell his winner's medals to fund his dementia care. He is among dozens of former footballers and their families suing the Football Association, the Football Association of Wales, and the English Football League over claims they were “negligent and in breach of their duty of care” to the former players.
Lawyers for the former players and their families have previously said football bodies knew or should have known that repeatedly heading a ball in training and during matches was likely to cause brain injuries, and that the risks were known for decades. In March this year, lawyers for The Football Association told the High Court it has “not been established by science” that heading a ball or “occasional” concussion can lead to permanent brain damage.
Related Cases
In January, an inquest into the death of Gordon McQueen, 70, an ex-Scotland, Manchester United, and Leeds United defender, found that heading the ball was “likely” to have contributed to a brain injury which was a factor in his death. McQueen was also diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). McQueen's TV presenter daughter Hayley McQueen said England’s 1966 World Cup winning team had now been “pretty much wiped out” by neurodegenerative disease.
The FA co-funded with the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) a 2019 study that found footballers were three-and-a-half times more likely to die of neurodegenerative disease than age-matched members of the general population. The FA is phasing out all heading in youth football up to under-11s by 2026.
