Frank Worthington has NOT got Alzheimer's

There has been a few wandering about my dad's health recently and so I thought i should let you all know Frank Worthington has Alzhiemers. He was diagnosed several years ago and has been holding it off with POSITIVE thinking and football . They say several footballers from my dads era seem to have suffered the same disease, possibly due to the constant heading of the heavy football back in the day.   As time goes by though, there are moments when you see the effects of Alzhiemers and this is hard sometimes for all those involved with a loved one who has this disease.  It's a funny thing that the one big lesson my dad always taught me was 'mind over matter'.... No matter how hard life gets, being positive will pull you through, Every adversity is a opportunity for change and growth... Thanks dad, that is the biggest gift you ever gave me! And now this silly Alzhiemers is taking you away from all that you taught me.... My heart goes out to all those effected by Alzhiemers, what a journey it is for all those effected!! ❤️

From Kim (Frank's daughter)

Very sad to hear of this. A friend of mine is suffering from it,and each day is another battle to hang on to what remains of a normal life. 
Terrible time for everyone concerned.

Alzheimer's is a truly awful disease as anyone who has seen what it does to a person will confirm.

Hi KIm, I have many happy memories of your father and the era when he was at his peak.  He really was a class act.

I was born in 1948 too and understand  through having parents who have been similarly afflicted as your dad.

He's got you and your love and that's the most important thing of all.    You will both be in the thoughts of many of us I'm sure.

How sad. The memories in those three seasons he played for us will always remain. The red bandana he wore on the night the scum were dismantled and the goal at Blackburn were top class moments in the time I have watched Wanderers.

Awful news. Hopefully Frank will know he has your love and all of our support Kim. I wish him and your family all the best.

You guys do know you aren't actually talking to Kim, right?

Terrible news about FW.

One of the best ever to grace a Bolton Wanderers Pitch.

terenceanne wrote:One of the best ever to grace a Bolton Wanderers Pitch.

I think that's a pretty fair comment. People balloon on about Okocha but FW provided much more entertainment on a regular basis than he did I'm afraid.
Never a big fan of Jay Jay, did the business infrequently for my liking.

Soul Kitchen wrote:

terenceanne wrote:One of the best ever to grace a Bolton Wanderers Pitch.

I think that's a pretty fair comment. People balloon on about Okocha but FW provided much more entertainment on a regular basis than he did I'm afraid.
Never a big fan of Jay Jay, did the business infrequently for my liking.

Proof positive that Soul Kitchen is just another one of Whittam's stable of characters.

Thanks for clearing that up.

Let's all move on now.

Frank Worthington: Ex-England striker denies Alzheimer's diagnosis

Former England striker Frank Worthington has denied that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

He issued a statement a day after his daughter claimed he had the condition.

Worthington, 67, explained: "I have never been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or any other neurological disorder or illness.

"I do have some issues with short term memory impairment but I have been assured this is not particularly unusual for a man of my age."

Worthington had a playing career spanning 26 years that included more than 200 appearances for Leicester.

Having started his career at Huddersfield, he also played for many other clubs including Bolton, Birmingham, Southampton, Leeds, Sunderland and Tranmere where he was player-manager.

He added: "I continue to lead a full and active retirement."

On Thursday, his daughter Kim-Malou Worthington wrote on Facebook: "He was diagnosed several years ago and has been holding it off with positive thinking and football.

"They say several footballers from my dad's era seem to have suffered the same disease, possibly due to the constant heading of the heavy football back in the day."

Jeff Astle, another ex-England striker, died in 2002 from brain trauma which a coroner ruled was caused by heading heavy leather balls.

Three members of England's 1966 World Cup-winning side - Martin Peters, Nobby Stiles and Ray Wilson - also have Alzheimer's, the most common cause of dementia.

The Football Association wants world governing body Fifa to investigate whether former players have dementia as a consequence of playing the game.

Worthington won eight England caps, scoring twice, and scored a memorable individual goal for Bolton during a Division One match against Ipswich in 1979.

He went on to manage Tranmere in the mid-1980s and was player-coach at hometown club Halifax in the 1991-92 season.

His daughter added: "It's a funny thing that the one big lesson my dad always taught me was 'mind over matter'... no matter how hard life gets, being positive will pull you through, every adversity is an opportunity for change and growth.

"My heart goes out to all those affected by Alzheimer's, what a journey it is for all those affected."

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Hopefully he doesn't have it. A terrible disease.

Sounds a bit like some sort of family dispute to me hence why I've amended the title.

We have only have his daughters 'facebook' account saying that he is ill, whilst the man himself has categorically fully denied it in a press statement today.

He clearly states he has NOT been diagnosed with any form of illness of the brain, so why has his daughter (if it was actually her) spouted what she did on the social media?

All sounds a bit messy to me.

It is a terrible illness that takes away the soul and simply leaves the shell.

I wouldn't wish that and anybody nor say it about anybody unless it was true.

So if Worthington says he has not got it and hasn't be diagnosed with it, then who are we to believe what someone wrote on facebook as being gospel - and so it would be wrong of us to carry on that slur without prove to the contrary.

How would he know if he had it?

(Sorry, not being crass.)

If he's in Da Nile, obviously he's going to say: "I'm fine, ignore her - she's just after the house.
Now then....where's me glasses? I had 'em a minute ago....Ah, here they are. Would you like a brew? I'll do it now.

But I need my glasses? I had 'em a minute ago. Would you like a brew while you're waiting? I'll just find my glasses so I can brew up. Have you seen them? My gasses, I mean...I can't find 'em...my glasses...."

"Anyway....who wants a brew?"

That's how Alzheimers works so it's impossible to make rational evaluations on here and evaluate the ins and outs of Worthy's life because we have no idea.

(My old man's got it and it's fucking hard worrk believe me.)

There are probably differing factions scrambling over themselves to release the "official" version of events and we probably won't know the truth until it's long after the event, if you get my drift.

Tawdry.....and a shame.

I agree Bread, this really could have been handled better. I'm not a huge fan of Facebook anyway and dislike the way so much 'news' seems to get released through Social Media in general, most notably Twitter.

If Frank does have this awful condition my heart goes out to him just like it does Breadman's dad. My grandma had it and it was horrible to witness. I just wish someone would find a flaming cure already. 

As to the unconfirmed 'news' about one of my all time favourite BWFC players, I'll personally cross my fingers and hope it gets debunked but if it's true then I can't help wondering why his daughter would choose to publicise it at all much less this way. Surely she could have spoken to someone at the BN or Beeb North West and got the news out in more dignified fashion if it really needs to be out there at all.

About five years ago, my nan befriended a man who'd moved into the flat above.

They really hit it off - I won't go into too much detail - but they were like love's young dream for a while. They bought a caravan together in Morecambe and they used to go quite often, they used to do long distance bus trips to Blackpool and Cleveleys. They were like Rose and Jack, only an 80 year old version.

He was a massive lifelong Wanderers fan and he used to tag along with me to matches every now and then. Over time I realised he would tell the same stories and ask the same questions over and over, and it really was painful. For example, he claimed to be an old pal of Eddie Hopkinson, and eventually I think I knew that fact better than I knew that Dave Whelan broke his leg in an FA Cup final.

We knew to begin with that he suffered from Alzheimer's, but over time it got more and more apparent, and he's recently had to move into a care home after a number of incidents, such as him dressing up to go to non-existent weddings, bothering neighbours at stupid o'clock to complain about phantom burglars, you name it.

He was a top bloke with a massive zest for life and it's been taken away from him over time by this awful disease. It really is a terrible condition to live with, for the friends and family as much as the person.

Breadman wrote:

Soul Kitchen wrote:

terenceanne wrote:One of the best ever to grace a Bolton Wanderers Pitch.

I think that's a pretty fair comment. People balloon on about Okocha but FW provided much more entertainment on a regular basis than he did I'm afraid.
Never a big fan of Jay Jay, did the business infrequently for my liking.

Proof positive that Soul Kitchen is just another one of Whittam's stable of characters.

Thanks for clearing that up.

Let's all move on now.

Spoken like the true BWFC equivalent of a Scum couch follower!