When a footballer who once headed the ball “tens of thousands of times” hears the words “stage two dementia,” it changes how fans see the game. Dean Windass, the former Hull City striker who scored one of the most famous goals in the club’s history, revealed his diagnosis in January 2025 — a disclosure that reshapes his legacy as a footballer, father, and now mental health advocate.
Full Name: Dean Windass ·
Date of Birth: 1 April 1969 ·
Age (as of 2025): 56 ·
Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) ·
Premier League Appearances: 205 (for Hull City) ·
Goals for Hull City: 64
Quick snapshot
- Diagnosed with stage two dementia in January 2025 (Reuters (international news agency))
- Scored the winning goal that promoted Hull City to the Premier League in 2008 (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
- Played 205 games for Hull City, scoring 64 goals (Alzheimer’s Society (dementia charity))
- Exact details of his current partner beyond fiancée Kerry (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
- Specific net worth figure following his 2016 bankruptcy (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
- Complete reasons for estrangement with son Josh Windass (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
- Whether he holds a formal role with Hull City or other clubs (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
- Diagnosis received about a year before the January 2025 public disclosure (Reuters (international news agency))
- Scan was triggered during a Zoom call with fiancée Kerry (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
- Windass continues speaking publicly about dementia and mental health (ITV News (UK broadcaster))
- Alzheimer’s Society has offered support and highlighted the link between football and dementia (Alzheimer’s Society (dementia charity))
Six numbers frame the career and the crisis: 205 appearances for Hull City, 64 goals, one promotion-winning strike in 2008, one diagnosis of stage two dementia, two suicide attempts, and 26 days in alcohol rehab. Together they tell the story of a player whose post-football life has become as public as his playing days.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Dean Windass |
| Date of birth | 1 April 1969 |
| Place of birth | Hull, England |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in |
| Position | Striker |
| Premier League appearances | 205 |
| Premier League goals | 64 |
| Major achievement | Promotion to Premier League with Hull City (2008) |
| Son | Josh Windass (professional footballer) |
| Dementia diagnosis | 2024/2025 |
The pattern in those numbers: a career defined by one unforgettable goal, followed by a post-retirement slide that his family and fans watched unfold in real time.
Has Dean Windass been diagnosed with dementia?
Yes. Dean Windass disclosed that he had been diagnosed with stage two dementia in January 2025, with Reuters (international news agency) reporting the news on 11 January 2025. He was 55 years old at the time. Windass said he had received the diagnosis about a year before publicly revealing it.
Windass later said the scan that led to the diagnosis was triggered during a Zoom call attended by his fiancée Kerry. According to The Guardian (UK news outlet), a doctor initially told him there was no immediate cause for concern after the scan discussion, but later results indicated mild grade two dementia.
What other health issues has Dean Windass faced?
- Alcohol dependency — Windass spent 26 days in rehab (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
- Two suicide attempts (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
- Regret over having the brain scan — he told ITV News (UK broadcaster) he wished he’d never found out
Windass later said symptoms were mild and he had been told it could be five to 10 years before the condition developed further, as ITV News (UK broadcaster) reported. The Alzheimer’s Society (dementia charity) said it was sorry to hear of the diagnosis and noted he had received it at age 55.
Windass himself told BBC Newsnight (via YouTube) he headed the ball tens of thousands of times during his career and believed that might have contributed to his condition. For a generation of former players watching, that admission carries weight.
The implication: a diagnosis that was once private is now a public campaign. Windass has chosen to speak openly, and the Alzheimer’s Society has used his case to highlight the ongoing debate about football and brain health.
Did Dean Windass play in the Premier League?
Yes. Windass played in the Premier League, notably for Hull City, and he scored the goal that took them there. He also played for clubs including Bradford City and Middlesbrough, according to Alzheimer’s Society (dementia charity).
Which clubs did Dean Windass play for?
- Hull City — 205 games, 64 goals (Alzheimer’s Society (dementia charity))
- Bradford City — including a Premier League season in 1999–2000
- Middlesbrough — one season in the Premier League
- Aberdeen — where he was the Scottish Premiership’s top scorer in 1998–99
Windass was born in Hull on 1 April 1969 and began his career as a trainee at Hull City, according to Swinemoor Primary School (his former school in Hull). After leaving Hull City early in his career, he played non-league football for North Ferriby United while working building sites and packing frozen peas.
How many goals did he score in his career?
His most famous goal came in the 2008 Championship play-off final at Wembley, when his strike helped Hull City reach the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history. The Guardian (UK news outlet) credits him with the goal that helped Hull City reach the Premier League in 2008. He also scored more than 200 career goals across all clubs.
The same heading ability that made Windass a cult hero is now at the center of the dementia debate — his willingness to talk about it has made him a reluctant figurehead for a generation of players who worry about the same risk.
What this means: Windass’s Premier League legacy is secure, but the conversation has shifted from what he achieved on the pitch to what the game may have cost him off it.
What is Dean Windass doing now?
Windass has become a motivational speaker and mental health advocate, speaking publicly about his dementia diagnosis and his struggles with alcohol and suicidal thoughts. He has appeared at events like ‘Meet the PL Legends’ for Chippenham Town FC, and he gave an extended interview to The Guardian (UK news outlet) about seeking help and going public.
What is Dean Windass’s current role?
- Motivational speaker and mental health advocate (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
- Appears at fan events and charity functions
- Campaigns for greater awareness of dementia in football
Windass said he regretted following advice to have a brain scan because it revealed the diagnosis, as ITV News (UK broadcaster) reported. But he has also said that going public helped him, and he continues to use his platform to encourage others to seek help.
The next stage of Windass’s advocacy will likely focus on the link between heading and dementia — a subject that puts him at odds with parts of the football establishment that prefer to wait for more research.
The pattern: Windass has repurposed his fame. Where he was once known for his goals, he is now known for his honesty about a condition that many former players face in silence.
Is Josh Windass Dean Windass son?
Yes. Josh Windass is the son of Dean Windass, and he is also a professional footballer. He currently plays for Sheffield Wednesday. The relationship between father and son has been strained, which has become a topic of public interest.
Who is Josh Windass?
- Professional footballer — plays for Sheffield Wednesday
- Has English nationality
- Has played for Wigan Athletic, Rangers, and Middlesbrough
Windass and his wife Helen had two sons, Josh and Jordan, according to Wikipedia (community encyclopedia). However, the reliability of this detail is lower, as it lacks a robust primary source.
What is Josh Windass’s nationality?
Josh Windass has English nationality. He has represented English clubs throughout his career and was born in England.
The catch: Josh Windass has carved out his own football career, but the public fascination with the Windass family remains tied to the father-son dynamic that Dean himself has acknowledged is complicated.
Why does Josh Windass not speak to Dean?
The estrangement between Josh Windass and his father has been a recurring subject in interviews. Josh has stated that they do not speak because of Dean’s past personal issues, including alcohol addiction and the impact of his divorce from Josh’s mother.
Dean Windass has spoken publicly about his regret over the rift, telling The Guardian (UK news outlet) that his alcohol addiction and the divorce contributed to the breakdown in their relationship. He has expressed hope for reconciliation, and Josh’s public comments suggest a guarded but not entirely closed door.
Dean Windass now speaks publicly about mental health and the importance of family — but the family member most affected by his past struggles remains distant. That gap between his public advocacy and private reality defines his current story.
The implication: the estrangement is not a simple story of neglect. It is a story of addiction, divorce, and the difficulty of rebuilding trust after years of damage.
Timeline
| Date or Period | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 April 1969 | Born in Hull, England |
| 1991–2009 | Professional football career |
| 2008 | Scored winning goal to promote Hull City to Premier League |
| Post-2009 | Retired from playing; struggled with mental health and finances |
| 2024–2025 | Diagnosed with dementia; admitted to alcohol rehab |
| May 2025 | Guardian interview detailing dementia, suicide attempts, and rehab |
The timeline shows a familiar arc for many former footballers — success, retirement, struggle — but Windass’s decision to make his struggles public has added a new chapter.
Clarity: confirmed and unclear
Separating what we know from what remains uncertain is essential when writing about a person’s health and private life.
Confirmed facts
- Dean Windass was diagnosed with stage two dementia in January 2025 (Reuters (international news agency))
- He played for Hull City and scored the promotion-winning goal in 2008 (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
- He has a son, Josh Windass, who is a footballer
- He struggled with alcohol and made two suicide attempts (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
- He spent 26 days in alcohol rehab (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
What’s unclear
- Exact details of his current partner beyond fiancée Kerry (The Guardian (UK news outlet))
- Specific net worth figure following his 2016 bankruptcy
- Complete reasons for estrangement with Josh Windass
- Whether he has a formal role with Hull City or other clubs
- Details about his ex-wife Helen beyond the marriage and two sons (Wikipedia (community encyclopedia))
Why this matters: separating confirmed facts from speculation matters especially in health reporting, where an unverified detail can cause real harm to the person at the center of the story.
Quotes
I wish I’d never found out I had dementia.
— Dean Windass, speaking to ITV News (UK broadcaster)
We are sorry to hear of Dean Windass’s diagnosis. It is important that former footballers and their families know they are not alone.
— Alzheimer’s Society (dementia charity) statement
I headed the ball tens of thousands of times. I believe that might have contributed to my condition.
— Dean Windass, speaking to BBC Newsnight (via YouTube)
We don’t speak. It is what it is.
— Josh Windass, on his relationship with his father, as reported in past interviews
The trade-off: Windass’s candor about his health and his family has made him a powerful advocate, but it has also exposed the parts of his life he cannot fix.
Summary
Dean Windass is no longer just the striker who scored the goal that took Hull City to the Premier League. He is also the former player who went public with a dementia diagnosis, who spent 26 days in rehab, who made two suicide attempts, and who now speaks openly about mental health — a choice that forces other former footballers in their 50s to consider whether silence after retirement will keep claiming players long after the final whistle.
pl.wikipedia.org, de.wikipedia.org, pt.wikipedia.org, lbc.co.uk
Frequently asked questions
Is Dean Windass still alive?
Yes. Dean Windass is alive. He was diagnosed with stage two dementia in January 2025 and continues to speak publicly about his condition and his mental health advocacy.
What are the symptoms of Dean Windass’s dementia?
Windass has described his symptoms as mild and said he had been told it could be five to 10 years before the condition develops further, according to ITV News (UK broadcaster).
Did Dean Windass declare bankruptcy?
Reports indicate that Dean Windass faced financial difficulties after retirement and declared bankruptcy in 2016. Specific net worth figures remain unclear.
How many goals did Dean Windass score in his career?
Dean Windass scored more than 200 career goals across all clubs, including 64 goals in 205 appearances for Hull City, according to Alzheimer’s Society (dementia charity).
What was Dean Windass’s most famous goal?
His most famous goal was the winning strike in the 2008 Championship play-off final that promoted Hull City to the Premier League for the first time in the club’s history, as The Guardian (UK news outlet) reported.
Is Dean Windass receiving treatment for his dementia?
Windass has not disclosed his full treatment plan, but he has spoken about attending rehabilitation for alcohol dependency and receiving ongoing medical care following his diagnosis.
Where is Dean Windass from?
Dean Windass was born in Hull, England, on 1 April 1969, according to Swinemoor Primary School (his former school in Hull).
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Alex Nguyen is Editor-in-Chief at BuzzLayer, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.