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Football's battle with dementia: Rotherham legend John Breckin leads the way

There are six members of the team who played Aston Villa in the first League Cup final in 1961 remaining,’ says Rotherham United legend John Breckin, voice full of South Yorkshire pride.

He finishes his sentence: ‘Three of them have it.’

There are others. Many others. Breckin rattles off the names of men he played with at his beloved Millmoor and elsewhere. Some are still grappling with dementia, others are no longer suffering. ‘Trevor Womble,’ he says.

John Breckin (back row, fourth from right) poses for a photograph alongside the Millers Memory club - an initiative helping those who have been impacted by dementia in football

‘He’s struggling. We lost Rodney Fern at 69. Ernie Moss who I played with at Doncaster has gone.