YOUNG footballers are set to be banned from heading the ball in a bid to prevent Dementia in adult life.

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) are set to consider several options after discussions with medical experts over the excessive heading of a ball in training and during match days.

It comes after a Glasgow University study in October which linked the use of headers in football with Dementia.

Scotland would become the first country in Europe to ban heading, which is a common technique that is practiced in youth football. The BBC reported last week that former players are three-and-a-half times more likely to die of dementia.

The chairman of an Ayr team Valspar FC plans to discuss this with coaches at their next meeting, but the club have already moved away from heading – in line with modern day training.

Ruarie Glackin: “Heading the ball doesn’t really come into it until you go to 11-a-side when you think about the seven-a-side nets and the four-a-side. You’d be lucky if there was one header in the game.

“Quite a lot of the time the boys can’t get the ball high enough in the air for someone to put their head on it.

“All the coaches have to be qualified so they are all going to coaching courses, when you go to these courses there is no heading, its all just wee games, keeping the ball under control as opposed to it being the goal keeper kicks it out and everyone chases after it like it was 20 years ago. It’s all about having the ball at their feet.

“There’s mad men everywhere who will think you need to coach them everything at four year old.

“We will certainly be bringing it up at the next meeting to make sure everyone is on the same page.”