Soccer News

A former Celtic player's claim that heading old-fashioned footballs caused senile dementia could open the floodgates for similar cases, it emerged yesterday.

The Professional Footballers Association claims that if ex-Celtic legend Billy McPhail's attempt to convince a benefits tribunal that he is entitled to industrial disablement payments for brain damage caused by the heavy leather footballs is successful, it could lead to other players of his vintage coming forward.

The association, which represents 4,000 members, said existing medical evidence linking the old-style leather footballs with senile dementia and Alzheimer's disease was inconclusive.

But chief executive Gordon Taylor said the association was aware of "quite a number" of former players with similar complaints.

"If Mr McPhail's case is successful it could lead to a lot more cases," he went on.

"We have quite a number of former players who suffer from forms of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. It is an issue that is on our agenda."

McPhail's case in Glasgow was adjourned yesterday until May while medical evidence was considered.

Premiership referees have given their blessing to Manchester United's latest shirt. The new home top for next season, unveiled yesterday by manufacturers Umbro, is the first to have a zip.

Previously such fasteners were considered too dangerous, but Umbro claim their version is safe because it cannot lock and releases when pulled.

The zip has been approved by the Premier League and referees spokesman David Elleray claimed they had no problems with the design.

Jaap Stam took another step closer to joining Manchester United yesterday following a meeting between his agent and PSV Eindhoven.

PSV are prepared to do business below their original £15 million asking price if Stam waives his 15 per cent cut of the transfer fee.

PSV rejected United's second bid, believed to be around £9.5million, but are willing to sell Stam under these conditions.

PSV spokesman Pedro Salazar-Hewitt said: "The difference between what Manchester United want to pay and what we want is too big. "Jaap Stam has a clause in his contract which entitles him to 15 per cent of the fee and if he lets that go, then we will be a little bit closer."

United could finally clinch a deal if they put an extra £1 to £2 million on the table on top of Stam's slice of the fee."

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said yesterday that injury duo Ryan Giggs and Ronny Johnson may soon return to action. "I think they'll be ready for the Crystal Palace game a week on Monday," Ferguson said.

Premiership footballers are now earning 22 times the amount per week their contemporaries earned in the 1950s. While the current average weekly wage is £4,000, Sir Tom Finney's playing wage packet of £12 corresponds to £178 in today's rate of exchange.

Even then the average footballers' wage was a third more than the weekly pay packet of an ordinary working person (£7.50).

Scottish players are still playing catch-up in the high salary stakes and only a few can match their counterparts in the Premiership.

Not surprisingly just Rangers and Celtic of the 40 professional clubs can match their southern rivals for wages.

Tony Higgins, secretary of the Scottish Players' Union, said yesterday: "We might be an eighth of the size of England but there is no way we get an eighth of the Sky TV money."

England Goalkeeper David Seaman escaped injury after badly damaging his sports car in a collision on the M1 motorway last night. The 34-year-old Arsenal player crashed his Jaguar XK8 as he was heading north in Bedfordshire, police said. He walked away uninjured.