Family of Hibs hero Peter Cormack reveal battle with dementia

Cormack's wife wants more research into the links between the illness and football

Former Hibs midfielder Peter Cormack is suffering from dementia, his family have revealed.

The decision was made to go public with the 73-year-old's condition after a study from Glasgow University found that footballers were more likely to suffer from the illness than the general population.

Cormack's wife Marion is convinced her husband's long career in the game is to blame, noticing changes in the ex-Liverpool star as far back as 2002.

Marion told the Daily Record: “We were given the proper diagnosis two years ago but we started noticing changes as far back as 2002.

“Even then, I suspected it had something to do with Peter’s career as a footballer. But doctors were unsure. The new research helps prove a link but it’s not enough. There needs to be much more done.

“Football authorities should have started looking at this as soon as Jeff Astle died in 2002 – not wait until 2017.

“We know there’s been rumours about Peter recently so we’ve decided, as a family, to speak out.

“Some of the stories have been hurtful but Peter is unaffected. He was in football for so long he has never been fazed by people talking and whispering about him.

“But we want people and fans to realise when they’re talking to him that he isn’t being rude or disrespectful, it’s just his condition.”

Edinburgh born, Cormack signed for Hibs in 1962 and would play at Easter Road for eight years before moving to Nottingham Forest in 1970.

He would stay for two years before moving to Liverpool, where he won five major trophies in a four-year spell. He also played for Bristol City, Partick Thistle, Toronto City and had a second spell at Hibs before retiring in 1980.