Is heading a ball all that bad a thing?

I COULD not count the thousands of times I headed the heavy lead-like ball we had when I was younger.

I played more football than many of today's professionals and, suddenly, heading a ball gives you dementia.

Who thought that one up? How can it be proved?

I am in my 70s now. The ball I constantly headed was heavy enough, but when it got wet it was like a soggy pudding that sunk into your head.

If what the so-called experts are saying can be proved right, I should have had dementia years ago!

I would rather head a football 24/7, than be punched silly in a boxing ring, yet boxing is still going strong.

I didn't even bother to mention heading the lace in the older footballs. That hurt all right. I wonder why that didn't cause early onset dementia. Or did it? Let's ask those experts again.

Ian Threadgill, Billingham