The plight of a former Manchester City footballer who was once the country’s top goalscorer has inspired a fundraising campaign for dementia.
Macclesfield-born Alf Wood, who appeared 31 times for City in the 60s and also won England youth honours, is sadly now battling the disease.
The 68-year-old grandfather (front row in above pic, second from left) moved into a care home permanently after the rapid deterioration of his condition left his devoted wife Joan unable to cope.
On learning of Mr Wood’s illness, fans at his second club, Shrewsbury Town – where he has official ‘legend’ status – launched a charity webpage.
Patrick Pringle, the Shrewsbury fan who set up the charity page as a tribute to Alf said: “As a show of thanks to Alf for the great footballing moments he gave to so many and in recognition of the amazing efforts of those caring for dementia sufferers we urge fans of all Alf’s former clubs (and anyone else!) to dig deep for a great cause.”
Patrick has urged followers of his previous clubs, which also include Middlesbrough, Hull City and Millwall, to donate to Dementia UK in tribute to Alf.
Manchester football fans have particular reason to recognise Alf with a donation, as despite turning out for City he was a boyhood United fan.
The once free-scoring forward grew up in the city and married childhood sweetheart Joan here in 1966.
He also enjoys cult hero status at Stafford Rangers due to his two goals against Kettering at Wembley winning them the 1979 FA Trophy.
The original plan was to raise £488 – one pound for every match of Alf’s career – but that total has already been well surpassed.
Mr Wood’s condition has disturbing echoes of the illness that befell Jeff Astle, the former West Brom and England striker.
Mr Astle was left unable to remember his glory days as a footballer or the names of close family members before his death in 2002.
Mrs Wood decided to publicly disclose her husband’s illness after learning of a campaign launched by Mr Astle’s daughters, Claire and Dawn and widow, Laraine.
In 2002 the coroner ruled that Mr Astle’s death had been caused by an industrial disease as a result of heading footballs.
The family have since clashed with the FA, furious at their failure to publish a promised study into the neurological effects of heading heavy balls.
Both men were celebrated for their aerial prowess, and scored many of the goals that made them ‘cult heroes’ among fans with ‘headers’.
During their playing days the leather balls were much heavier, and would become heavier still when they absorbed water on rain-sodden pitches.
The grandmother of five told The Birmingham Mail: “I’ve read all the reports about the Astle family and I’m in the same boat.
“My husband’s biggest skill was heading the ball and now he’s got dementia. I’m not a neurologist so I can’t say that’s what caused Alf’s illness.
“But when I saw this (the Astle) case and the call for other relatives of suffering footballers to help, I knew I had to come forward.”
The donate to the cause, visit here.
Archive picture via family collection, with thanks.
