Coroner rules inquest needed into Nobby Stiles' death

Coroner rules inquest needed into Nobby Stiles' deathImage source, ReutersImage caption, Stiles' medical record had been examined by experts for the court Published17 minutes agoEngland World Cup winner Nobby Stiles died with a traumatic brain injury, a court heard as a coroner ruled an inquest into his death must be held.Stiles, 78, a former Manchester United footballer and 1966 World Cup winner, died with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which has been associated with head traumas claimed to be from repeatedly heading a football.Chris Morris, area coroner for Greater Manchester South, told a court a full inquest was needed after a brain expert examined his medical records.Stiles died in 2020, and his family has campaigned for football authorities to do more to help ex-players cope with injuries they claim were caused during their playing days.Norbert "Nobby" Stiles, born in Manchester in 1942, was a tough-tackling defensive midfielder, capped 28 times by England and played nearly 400 times for Man Utd.Mr Morris told Stockport coroner's court "for reasons not entirely clear to me" Stiles's death was not at the time reported to the coroner's office for investigation, which had only begun after information provided by the ex-footballer's family.The coroner said Stiles's brain had been examined by neuropathology expert, Dr Daniel du Plessis.Image source, PA MediaImage caption, Stiles won the World Cup with England in 1966Following examination and review of Stiles's medical records, Dr Du Plessis expressed the opinion Stiles's cause of death was Alzheimer's disease.But he also said his death was contributed to by high-stage CTE, along with what was described as "stage three limbic predominant age related TDP-43" and small vessel cerebrovascular disease.Mr Morris said: "On the basis of that cause of death, particularly the inclusion of a traumatic injury included in the cause of...