Footballers from Celtic’s past and present paid tribute yesterday to
Lisbon Lions legend Billy McNeill as they backed a new charity event named in his honour.
Team captain Callum McGregor joined former striker Frank McAvennie for the launch of a celebrity golf tournament that will raise funds for respite for ex-footballers affected by dementia and their families.
McNeill died in April 2019 at the age of 79 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease around nine years earlier.
The Billy McNeill Fund was launched that year in tribute to the former captain, who was the first British footballer to lift the European Cup, but the inaugural fundraising event in 2020 did not take place due to the pandemic.
It will now be held on Friday, June 3 at the Carrick Golf Course, near Cameron House, beside Loch Lomond. The five-star complex is nearing the end of a multi-million pound renovation.
Amateur golfers will have the chance to tee off with celebrities and Scottish footballers. The star names taking part will be confirmed in the coming weeks. A Question and Answer event will also be held in the evening.
Celtic skipper McGregor said: “I don’t have anyone in the family who has suffered from dementia, but with Billy being such an iconic figure for the club I felt it was important to back it and show our support as a club.
“After everything Billy did for us, this is just a small token of our gratitude.”
The new fund is part of the charity Battle Against Dementia, which was launched by Douglas McCluskey after his father’s death from dementia.
McAvennie, who is a long-time ambassador for the charity, said: “This came up two years ago and myself and Walter Smith [ex-Rangers manager] did the launch at Celtic Park and it [the golf event] didn’t happen because of the pandemic and it’s such an important thing.
“I used to go and visit Billy – the gaffer – once a month or every couple of months with Andy Walker [ex-Celtic striker]. Billy had such great stature
and every month we saw him he was declining.
"This shouldn’t be happening in 2022. Hopefully there will soon be a tablet that could at least delay it.”
Mr McCluskey added: “We are going to provide respite for former footballers and their families. It just means that once a week we can give families the time they need because it’s exhausting [looking after dementia sufferers].
“All the funds we raise will go to that and we are hoping every single football club in Scotland gets involved because the money is going to stay in Scotland.
The McNeill family revealed two years before Billy’s death that he had Alzheimer’s disease.
His son Martyn said: “Having seen first hand the devastating effect dementia has on a loved one I am delighted this event is taking place. Raising funds to help ex-footballers and their families is tremendous and to have it in Billy’s name makes the whole family proud.”
Dementia also claimed the lives of the Celtic legend’s team-mates Stevie Chalmers and Bertie Auld, amid growing concern over the links between football and dementia.
A landmark study by the University of Glasgow, published in 2019, found footballers were 3.5 times more likely to die of the disease and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease was higher.
Further research by consultant neuropathologist Dr Willie Stewart found the overall risk was greatest for those who played in positions with a high level of head impacts.
He said football’s governing bodies should now consider eliminating headers and suggested the sport should also carry a health warning, while others have called for dementia to be classed as an occupational disease.
The SFA responded to the research by banning children under 12 from heading footballs during training sessions. A graduated approach will be introduced for children aged between 12 and 17, with limits on the amount of heading allowed.
McAvennie said he agreed with this approach but said he does not believe heading should be removed from the professional game.
He said: “I get it but you can’t do it in the game. It’s impossible, the game is not football any more.
“You don’t head the ball much these days anyway, it’s all in the feet.”
To book tickets for the Billy Against Dementia golf day click here.
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