Gordon McQueen joins some famous names who are battling dementia

A look at former football favourites fighting the disease.

Former Scotland, Manchester United and Leeds defender Gordon McQueen has been diagnosed with vascular dementia, his family have confirmed.

Several former players have battled the condition, prompting the Football Association to support two ongoing research studies examining ex-professionals for early signs of neurocognitive degeneration.

England World Cup winners Nobby Stiles, Jack Charlton, Ray Wilson and Martin Peters are among those to have died from the disease.

Here the PA news agency takes a look at some of the former players known to be battling dementia.

Jimmy Calderwood, 65

Rugby Union – 2008 Bank Of Scotland Corporate Autumn Test – Scotland v Canada – Pittodrie Stadium — Jimmy Calderwood guided Aberdeen to the last 32 of the UEFA Cup (Simon Price/PA)

Sir Bobby Charlton, 83

Sir Bobby Charlton File Photos — Sir Bobby Charlton is one of five members of England’s World Cup-winning side to be diagnosed with dementia (PA)

Chris Chilton, 77

Hull City – Chris Chilton – 1962 — Chris Chilton signed for Hull as a teenager (PA)

Gordon Cowans, 62

Soccer – Barclays Premier League – Aston Villa v Southampton – Villa Park — Gordon Cowans made more than 400 appearances for Villa and was later part of the club’s coaching staff (Nick Potts/PA)

Chris Nicholl, 74

Walsall v Aston Villa – Pre-Season Friendly – Banks’s Stadium — Chris Nicholl, pictured at a Walsall pre-season match in 2019 (Nick Potts/PA)

Gordon McQueen, 68

Jimmy Millar, 86

The family of former Rangers striker Jimmy Millar went public with his diagnosis in May 2017, by which point he had already been suffering with it for a decade. Millar scored 162 goals for the Ibrox club, forming a famous partnership with Ralph Brand.

Ernie Moss, 71

Moss made more than 500 appearances with his hometown club Chesterfield across three spells, scoring a record 191 goals. In a career lasting more than two decades he clocked up 749 league appearances with 10 different clubs, earning him a place in the Football League’s top 20 all-time list. Last year his family revealed Moss has been diagnosed with a rare form of dementia called Pick’s Disease.

Jimmy Robson, 82

Soccer – Football League Division One – Burnley FC Photocall – Turf Moor — jimmy Robson was part of Burnley’s First Division-winning side of 1960 (PA)

Dave Watson, 74

Soccer – Capital One Cup – Final – Manchester City v Sunderland – Wembley Stadium — Dave Watson was an FA Cup winner with Sunderland (Nick Potts/PA)