“He’s very worried”
Former Premier League star suffers from dementia
January 10, 2025 – 5:09 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Former footballer Dean Windass enjoys legendary status at Hull City. Now the Englishman is seriously ill, as one of his friends announced.
Sad news from Great Britain: Former Premier League professional Dean Windass is suffering from dementia – at just 55 years old.
David May, former Manchester United player and friend of Windass, announced in a TV interview on BBC that he had only spoken to the former goalscorer the day before. “I asked Deano how he was doing. He was diagnosed with stage 2 dementia,” said May. “He’s the same age as me and is very worried about what will happen to him in the future.”
On X, May later commented again on his TV statements. He got permission from Dean Windass to do this. “He was 100 percent behind my mentioning that he was diagnosed with stage 2 dementia,” May said. “Deano just did an article for a national newspaper that will be published soon. Spread the love.”
Windass later spoke out on X himself. He had already shared May’s post. He now treated his illness with humor in his own post. “Seriously, I’m ok. Was pleased to find out I have a brain,” he wrote. “I just hope other families get the help they want for the people they lost.”
Shortly beforehand, Windass had already recorded a video in his car singing along to “Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glen Campbell. He wrote: “I just have to keep smiling and try to help people.”
Windass, born in Kingston Upon Hull, England, caused a sensation during his playing days, especially at his hometown club Hull City. The beefy attacker contributed eleven goals to the Tigers’ third place in the second-tier championship in 2007/2008. In the final of the promotion round it was he who shot the club into the Premier League with his goal against Bristol City (1-0) at Wembley Stadium.
In November 2008, Windass scored his last goal in England’s top flight. In the 2-2 draw against Portsmouth, he scored the final score shortly before the end at the age of 39 years, seven months and 21 days. This made him Hull City’s oldest goalscorer in league history. At the same time, the goal made him the second oldest professional after Teddy Sheringham to score a goal in the Premier League.
Windass was married for 18 years and has two children from this marriage. His older son Josh plays in the Championship for Sheffield Wednesday.