World
Scotland legend Joe Jordan tells of dementia fears after loss of best pal
Scotland legend Joe Jordan has spoken of his fear of dementia, after the heartbreaking loss of his best friend and ex-teammate Gordon McQueen last year.
Joe, 72, and Gordon played together more than 200 times for Leeds United, Manchester United and Scotland and were pals for 50 years.
Gordon died last year, aged 70, as a result of vascular dementia, which has been linked to heading the ball for many years.
Joe, who features in the new series of BBC Scotland’s Icons of Football, told how he and Gordon were inseparable, and insisted: “I don’t want to go that way.”
He said: “He was my best pal – 50-odd years I’ve known him. He was a great player.
“I was his best man and he was my best man, we went on holidays. He was priceless.”
Joe, who was by his friend’s side when he died, said he thinks about the cruel condition every day.
He added: “Gordon was a one off. He was my best mate. We went to two World Cups together, we grew up together.
“I think about it (dementia) every single day, I honestly do. What can I do? What do I not do, to… I don’t want to go that way.” Joe joined Leeds from Greenock Morton as an 18-year-old centre forward in 1970, and was joined by Gordon two years later after the defender signed from St Mirren.
When Joe signed for Manchester United in 1978, Gordon followed.
Joe said: “Gordon came about six weeks later. I drove one day, he drove the next.
“We went across the Pennines and breakfast with Gordon was a bar of Cadbury’s chocolate in the car.”
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Gordon’s daughter, TV sports presenter Hayley, 44, said: “My dad and Joe just absolutely loved playing football, they lived for playing football and I know my dad was a prolific header of the ball.
“I’m pretty sure now, with his CTE (scan), that was the cause of brain damage that led to having dementia.
“When my dad was really ill, when he was in palliative care, Joe jumped in the car and just drove from Bristol. He didn’t think anything of it.
“He was by his side playing football for Leeds, Manchester United and Scotland, and he was literally by his side at the end of his life, which meant a lot to us.”
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