Legend's family seek recognition of brain disease connection to football

The family of a Sunderland FA Cup legend are determined to fight on to ensure neurological conditions are recognised as a result of head injuries from a career in football.

- by Neil Fatkin

Penny Watson, wife of Sunderland AFC's 1973 cup winner Dave Watson, said the family is continuing their fight to ensure the former England captain's neurological condition is recognised as being sustained during his career.

The towering centre half, who won 65 international caps and starred for Sunderland and Manchester City in the 1970s, has been diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive brain disorder linked to repeated head injuries.

He and his family are seeking industrial injury benefits because they argue injuries he suffered during his career are linked to his current condition.

The family first took the case to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which did not award industrial injury benefits, so they turned to the First Tier Tribunal (FTT).