John Tudor was one of the Newcastle cup heroes of the Seventies
Former Newcastle striker John Tudor and wife Ann watching Newcastle v Chelsea in their local pub in America(Image: John Gibson (handout))
The growing clamour for football’s authorities to take a decisive stance on dementia has been heightened by the case of a top Newcastle United striker.
John Tudor, SuperMac’s partner in the 1974 FA Cup final, died in America on February 9 last year after 12 months of full-time and hospice care. He was 78 and had battled courageously against crippling dementia for more than a decade.
His widow Anne donated John’s brain to the CTE Centre at Boston University in the States in an effort to help support the growing belief that there is a strong undeniable link between professional footballers heading the ball and dementia which has claimed so many.
She bravely made the decision in consultation with the family after talking to Dawn Astle, the daughter of England legend Jeff Astle who was the first pro player to receive a public CTE diagnosis.
I have received a copy of the detailed highly technical four-page medical report on Tudor which has just been released to the family and it confirms CTE Stage 4 as one of the main causes of brain damage which resulted in Dementia and Alzheimer’s.
In an exclusive interview from her Minnesota home Anne told me: “Deep down I knew that the results would support the link between football and dementia. So many of John’s friends and former players have suffered like him in later life.
“We both loved our life, loved Newcastle United especially, and I wanted to help others to be more aware of the pitfalls as they embark on the wonderful journey football provides.”
A string of high profile players have died after suffering dementia including former United stars Tommy Cassidy and John McNamee plus the Charlton brothers Bobby and Jack along with their World Cup winning team-mates Martin Peters, Nobby Stiles and Ray Wilson, as well as the likes of Gordon McQueen, Bob Paisley, Danny Blanchflower, Stan Bowles, Ferenc Puskas, Billy McNeill and of course Jeff Astle.
Anne has already spoken with two leading authorities to discuss the findings. Dr Adam White is Head of Brain Health at the Professional Footballers’ Association and is also co-founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation UK while Dr Willie Stewart is a consultant neuropathologist at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where he leads the Glasgow Brain Injury Research Group.
Dr. Stewart famously worked with Newcastle legend Alan Shearer to investigate the links between dementia and heading a football. Their partnership was the centre piece of the 2017 BBC documentary Alan Shearer: Dementia, Football and Me.
Recalling how dementia took hold Anne told me: “In 2011 John began to change. He was agitated, frustrated, and forgetful. We knew something was wrong. Over time, his memory and cognition deteriorated further. He grew weary, struggled with words, and feared he might have dementia.
“John suffered many concussions during his playing career, including one in 1974 when a brick was thrown through the Newcastle team coach window striking him in the forehead. A later MRI revealed vascular changes and persistent head buzzing.
“By 2016, doctors began to consider Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) or early Alzheimer’s. He experienced twitching muscles, fainting spells, and memory loss. Despite visits to three neurologists his condition worsened. John needed 24/7 care and he could no longer live safely at home.
“Short-term memory faded, then long-term memory. Words disappeared. Everything was a challenge. In February 2024, John entered full-time care – a heartbreaking moment for our family.
“Still, I cherished every visit. We’d sit together, holding hands, sipping a proper cup of British tea, and sharing Cadbury chocolate. We’d watch football and the TV show Vera filmed in the North East which brought him joy and kept him calm because he could relate to the Geordie accent.”
Anne went on: “We found out about the chance to donate John’s brain through Dawn Astle. It gave us comfort to know John could play a part in advancing research and help future families avoid going through the same difficulties. It seemed only fitting that a man who gave so much to others in life could continue helping just as many after his passing.”
John Tudor in action for Newcastle United in 1974
Tudor was a wonderful team player – SuperMac insisted he was the best strike partner he ever had – and he made 222 appearances for United from January 1971 to September 76 scoring 74 goals.
He won the Anglo-Italian Cup and two Texaco Cups (Anglo-Scottish Cup) with United as well as appearing in the 1974 FA Cup final against Liverpool.
I was privileged to become a personal friend. We went together to the 74 World Cup finals in Germany immediately after John played at Wembley and we met up whenever he came back to Tyneside. The finest of men.
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