Football's authorities have been told they are 'morally bankrupt' and at risk of being at the centre of 'another Post Office-type national scandal' by the son of England World Cup winner Nobby Stiles.
A hero from the country's historic team of 1966, Stiles suffered with dementia before his death in 2020. In a post mortem, renowned expert Dr Willie Stewart found Stiles' brain was affected by chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – one of a number of neurodegenerative diseases believed to be caused by repeated blows to the head.
Stiles is one of five members of England's class of 1966 to have died of dementia with Sir Bobby Charlton and Jack Charlton also among that group.
On Wednesday, Stiles' son John relaunched his campaign for justice and support for ex-footballers suffering with the effects of neurodegenerative diseases as a result of their playing days.
John Stiles heads up the Football Families for Justice group (FFJ) which is calling on the Football Association, the Professional Footballers' Association and other industry bodies 'to act with urgency in allocating a small proportion of its massive wealth to address the tragedy of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases suffered by so many ex-professionals.'
Nobby Stiles' son, John (pictured), believes football authorities must do more to support former players suffering from the effects of neurodegenerative diseases
England World Cup hero Stiles (above) suffered with dementia before his death in 2020
The FFJ insist the current support from football's bodies for the families of ex-players suffering with brain injuries is 'totally inadequate'.
'Heading (the ball) causes these brain injuries,' John Stiles said. 'The refusal of the football industry to accept this, despite the overwhelming evidence of experts such as Willie Stewart, and provide the help these players and widows deserve is an insult to the memory of the players who have been killed in our national game.
'The scale of this disaster makes it a national scandal. The FFJ has to campaign as the PFA has so disastrously failed to protect its members. The football industry is cash rich but morally bankrupt.
'It has cynically adopted the "big tobacco" playbook in denying and delaying so that victims die before they can get the help they need and deserve.
'These players and their families deserve respect, not contempt.
Three Lions legends Jack Charlton (left) and Sir Bobby Charlton (right) also died of dementia
Five members of England's class of 1966 suffered from brain injuries before their deaths
'The football industry will be recognised as another Post Office-type national scandal if it and the government continue to fail these vulnerable men and their widows.'
Research shows footballers are four to five times more likely to suffer neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer's, motor neurone disease and Parkinson's compared to the national average.
John Stiles and the FFJ are calling on football's cash-rich authorities to use a part of the millions the game generates to support the needs of ex-players.
They say an existing scheme contrived by the PFA and Premier League is capped at £1million-a-year and provides little to no help for the families of ill former footballers.
'This new fund is a PR exercise, inadequately funded, and deliberately and cynically designed to avoid the expense of long-term care home costs,' the FFJ said.
Mail Sport's Chris Sutton is a passionate supporter of ex-players suffering with neurodegenerative illnesses as a result of their playing careers and is backing John Stiles' campaign relaunch.
Stiles has urged authorities to act with urgency and inject more money into addressing the 'tragedy of dementia' suffered by a host of former players (pictured: Bobby Charlton in 2016)
Gary Lineker, 1966 hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst, and Sutton are among more than 100 ex-players to have given their public support to the FFJ.
'Football's authorities have a dreadful habit of kicking the can down the road on this,' Sutton said. 'Families are having to sell their homes to look after their loved ones. It's absolutely scandalous. Nobody should be doing that with the money in the game.'
John Stiles has also called on the government to step in.
He added: 'I hope the leaders of the industry and the government finally recognise from the names in our petition that action must be taken to address this disaster.
'Like so many in this community, I am wearied by the patent injustice of this national scandal over so many years. But I am hugely encouraged by the support of all these ex-players and their families. I am grateful to them. The FFJ will keep fighting for justice.'