Football boss Sturrock: I have Parkinson's

Published on Monday 28 July 2008 22:02

SCOTTISH football great Paul Sturrock yesterday revealed he had been battling Parkinson's disease for eight years.

The former St Johnstone and Dundee United manager said he had a mild form of the progressive neurological condition, which affects about 120,000 people in the UK.

Symptoms most commonly emerge after the age of 50, but Sturrock saw the first signs of the disease in his early forties.

Yesterday, he said he was not looking for sympathy and just wanted to get on with his job as manager of Plymouth Argyle.

Parkinson's is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system, which can affect speech and movement. There is no known cure, but symptoms can be helped with drug treatment.

Sturrock, 51, who was born in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, told his club's website: "I don't want sympathy. I don't want people feeling sorry for me. I just thought this was the right time to bring things out into the open."

He went on: "It's an illness, yes, but one I am perfectly comfortable with. It is not a severe form, by any means. It doesn't really affect me unless I forget to take a tablet. Then, I just get a few tremors in my hand or my leg.

"It will not affect the way I go about my job. There's plenty of life in the old dog yet."

Sturrock is not the only footballer to fall victim to Parkinson's at a young age. The Liverpool and Arsenal player Ray Kennedy was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1984, aged 35.

In Scotland, the disease has been the focus of recent attention because of Margo MacDonald, the independent MSP for the Lothians, who, in March, told the Scottish Parliament she wanted the right to be allowed to bring about her own death if her Parkinson's deteriorated to the point where her life was unbearable. The weekend death of the revered sports commentator Bob Crampsey followed a long battle with Parkinson's disease.

Steve Ford, the chief executive of the Parkinson's Disease Society said: "It is important that anyone of any age who finds out they have Parkinson's is able to make a choice about telling people about their diagnosis.

"Parkinson's affects everyone in different ways. Those diagnosed will have a number of symptoms, which will vary.

"The nature and severity of these symptoms and the rate at which the condition progresses is, again, individual."

Mr Ford said the risk of Parkinson's increased with age. However, one in 20 of those diagnosed each year would be under the age of 40.

Paul Sturrock, who made 576 appearances for Dundee United in an illustrious, 15-year playing career, has had previous health scares. In 1995, while manager of St Johnstone, he collapsed during a game, ironically against Dundee United, in what was suspected to be a heart problem. He later said it had been hyperventilation because he was shouting so much.

Known affectionately by fans as "Luggy", Sturrock won 20 caps for Scotland after making his international debut in 1981. Since hanging up his boots in 1989, he has also managed Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday and Swindon Town.