By Stuart Reid

UWS Mental Health lecturer, Stewart Kerr, backs the Football Association’s study in to links between football and mental health.

The FA announced plans for an official study in to the direct link between heading a football and mental health problems later in life.

Stewart Kerr, a mental health lecturer has backed the claims for this: “I think it’s long overdue.

“When you see the neurological disorders that are being highlighted through sportsmen, there seems to be quite an instance of dementia amongst ex-professionals”

The study hopes to find a link between the two and, ultimately, a solution to the problem.

“I suspect they will find something interesting.

“I have known two exceptional footballers, who were great headerers’ of the ball, who are now in care, so I think there must be some kind of link” added lecturer Kerr.

The study will be lead by British expert in concussion in port, Dr. Wille Stewart. This comes after he claimed that former footballer, Jeff Astle died because of repeated head trauma.

Mental health lecturer, Kerr, continues about how the problems have been deeply routed in the history of football: “There was a period in football when footballs were different, especially when wet. When they headed it, it was like heading a medicine ball.

“It wasn’t picked up on, the concussive injuries they could pick up.”

He definitely feels that the study is worth the time:

“It’s certainly worthy of an investigation”