"Worried sick..." - Former Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday man sends message after dementia diagnosis

Popular former striker Dean Windass, one of a select group of footballers to have represented both Sheffield United and Wednesday in their playing careers, has sent an upbeat message after it was revealed that he has been diagnosed with dementia. The 55-year-old, who also played for Hull City and Bradford during a career that spanned over 20 years, confirmed his condition on social media.

Windass, whose son Josh currently plays for Wednesday, has been told he has stage two dementia, which can result in memory lapses, including difficulty remembering familiar names and misplacing everyday items. The news was disclosed by the former Manchester United defender David May, during an appearance on BBC Breakfast.

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He said: "I only spoke to Dean Windass yesterday, an ex-professional footballer. I asked Deano how he is. He's been diagnosed with Stage 2 dementia. He's the same age as me and he's worried sick of how it's going to be in the future for him."

May later confirmed that he had been given permission by Windass to discuss his diagnosis, with the former striker then posting on his social media page: “Seriously I am okay... was delighted to find out I had a brain 🕺😀⚽️👍 Just hope other families get the help what they want for the people they have lost.”

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Windass is just the latest former footballer to suffer with dementia-related conditions later in life, with research ongoing about the impact of heading footballs thousands of times over the course of a playing career. May added: “I’m 55 this year, I’d like to know where I’m going to be in 10 years’ time.

“Would I have the care from the governing bodies, from the PFA, the funding that these families now are not actually getting? I’m worried, of course I am. I’ve got a family to look after, and I don’t want my children looking after me day in, day out.”