Nobby Stiles' son has backed calls to look at the amount of heading professional players do in training and believes the game should not wait for a link between heading and dementia to be established beyond any doubt before helping former footballers who are suffering now.
Former Manchester United and England midfielder Stiles died aged 78 last month. He had dementia and prostate cancer.
His death, and the news that his team-mate Sir Bobby Charlton had also been diagnosed with dementia, has brought the issue of head impacts in the game and an increased risk of neurodegenerative disease back into the spotlight.
Professor Willie Stewart, whose FIELD study last year found footballers were three-and-a-half times more likely to die of neurodegenerative disease than age-matched individuals from the general population, has backed calls to restrict heading in training at all levels in the game, not just among children.
He has been joined in those calls by campaigner Dawn Astle and former England striker Gary Lineker, and now Stiles' son John has also spoken out.
"They should think very carefully about the amount of headers they do in football, particularly in training," he told the PA news agency.
"But my big problem is that whilst they're waiting for the proof as they have been for years, the players who are suffering are getting very, very little help.
"They shouldn't have to wait until it's proved absolutely, 1,000 per cent, categorical, they should be giving them the help now. There are so many of them and there is enough money in football to take care of them."
The chief medical officer of world players' union FIFPRO, Dr Vincent Gouttebarge, says more "robust" proof is required before making any significant changes to the game at the top level.
He told PA: "As long as we do not have the scientific evidence to change things in a legitimate way then there is no reason to change.
Meanwhile, a legal action over brain injuries allegedly caused in football and other contact sports has begun, the lawyers involved have confirmed.
It is aiming to secure compensation for former athletes and to bring about reform of current practices to better protect current and future professionals.
The action, which it is understood is likely to be against the Football Association and potentially other bodies, is being led by Nick De Marco QC of Blackstone Chambers and personal injury specialists John Foy and James Byrne of 9 Gough Chambers.
De Marco said: "The litigation is still in its early stages and we still want to hear from professional sports players. Nonetheless, the stories emerging tell us of a pattern of silent suffering caused by life-changing and sadly often fatal brain injury conditions, that underlies that this is a serious endemic issue.
"The science proving the link between repeated blows to the head and brain injury has been around for many years. A key question the courts will be interested in is whether football, and other contact sport regulators, have taken timely and proper steps to prevent the injuries we are seeing."
World governing body FIFA said: "As far as brain injuries in football are concerned, FIFA takes its responsibility very seriously as protecting the health of players is – and will remain – a top priority in developing the game."
