“He simply would not actually know what yr it was or what day it was,” Hayley mentioned.

“He was very energetic and attempting to do crosswords and watch soccer. He misplaced the flexibility to write down.

“He could not make a cup of tea. He acquired confused about what went the place. He saved saying, ‘there’s one thing not proper in my head’.”

“He used to get confused about issues. By no means folks – he had an unbelievable reminiscence for the previous.

“It was extra the withdrawn nature of my dad. He can be the centre of consideration, however (with dementia) he must be requested a query to talk.”

Requested by Michael Rawlinson KC, representing the McQueen household, how her father scored his objectives, Hayley mentioned: “Primarily together with his head, from a set-piece.”

Professor Willie Stewart, a advisor at Queen Elizabeth College Hospital in Glasgow who examined McQueen’s mind after his loss of life, described how a membrane within the mind appeared torn and that persistent traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was current in varied locations.

“Gordon technically fell into the decrease stage of the illness, though on the brink of the upper stage,” he mentioned.

Prof Stewart mentioned signs of CTE have been cognitive decline and neuro-behaviour change, and that they “cannot be defined by one other situation – it should be progressive”.

He mentioned signs have been “typical in people who’ve lengthy careers – skilled footballers and rugby gamers”.

Requested if there was a causal hyperlink between CTE and repetitive head harm, he mentioned: “The reply to that’s sure.”

Senior coroner John Heath mentioned the autopsy discovered pneumonia in McQueen’s proper lung, combined vascular dementia and CTE.

Prof Stewart, who performed a 2021 research on whether or not sure positions on the pitch have been extra related to neurodegenerative illness than others, mentioned: “The gamers, the goalkeepers who do not head the ball had a threat equal to normal inhabitants, whereas in outfield positions, notably defenders, the chance was larger.”

The inquest continues.