Dean Windass has spoken emotionally about his health issues and his difficult relationship with son Josh
Dean Windass fires home the winning goal in the 2008 play-off final(Image: Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Hull City legend Dean Windass has previously spoken openly about his devastating dementia diagnosis and strained relationship with Wrexham star son Josh.
The 57-year-old is best known for the iconic goal he netted against Bristol City in the 2008 Championship play-off final. Windass, then aged 39, struck the match’s solitary goal with a memorable volley to propel his boyhood club into the Premier League.
Hull will be hoping to recreate Windass’ moment of brilliance when they face Middlesbrough in this year’s Wembley clash on Saturday. His eldest son Josh has followed in his father’s footsteps by forging a football career and enjoyed a standout season after signing for Wrexham last summer.
Off the pitch, Dean has discussed his dementia diagnosis and his strained relationship with his two sons. Here is a closer examination of the play-off final icon’s life beyond the sport…
Dementia diagnosis
In January 2025, it was revealed that Windass had been diagnosed with stage two dementia. The news was disclosed by former Manchester United defender David May on BBC Breakfast after Windass authorised him to discuss his condition.
The former Middlesbrough and Bradford City striker had been persuaded to undergo a scan by John Stiles, son of 1966 World Cup hero Nobby Stiles, who is affiliated with Football Families for Justice. Windass has since opened up about his battle with dementia, having received an early-stage diagnosis.
“They’ve said I could be like this for half a decade, a decade, or it could deteriorate,” he told the Guardian. “I’m not happy about it; I wish they’d said I was all clear and then we wouldn’t be having this conversation now. But look, I could go out and get run over by a bus tomorrow.”
Windass partly attributed his condition to a career spent heading footballs and has called for a reduction in heading drills during training to lower the risk of players developing dementia in later life. He said: “When I got the diagnosis, they asked me how many footballs I headed. It’s not the fact of matchday, it was those crossing and finishing drills every day. Or for centre-halves, heading it as far as they could.
“After every session I’d do some finishing, head it in or volley it if they cross it in. I thought nothing of it. You couldn’t think about dementia then, but now we can. So let’s see if we can stop it at source now and reduce the damage.”
Plea to Wrexham star son
Earlier this year, Dean disclosed that he had lost contact with both of his sons and made a public appeal for Wrexham’s Josh to reach out. Speaking about their broken relationship, he acknowledged that failing to inform his children about his dementia diagnosis was the root cause.
Windass told the Clutch 9 podcast: “I don’t speak to my two kids now, but probably because it’s my own fault as well, not telling them about the diagnosis because I didn’t want to worry them. Josh is in the public eye.
“I was trying to do the right thing but then it’s backfired on me and it’s breaking my heart. I put a post on Twitter the other day, ‘Please get in touch, Josh,’ because of what’s gone on and it’s killing me.
“One and a half million viewers saw it, but I thought it’s the only way I can get in contact because he’s not answering the phone. I don’t know where lives, he’s moved to Wrexham.
“My youngest son doesn’t talk to me now because of other things that have gone on, so my two kids don’t talk to me. I think, ‘What have I done that’s that bad? I’m not that bad.'”
He added: “Josh is very successful now and has got a wife and my granddaughter. I haven’t seen my granddaughter for a year and it hurts. I look at Brooklyn Beckham in the paper the other day and think, ‘Life’s too short.’ So if Josh does watch this, please ring me, because he’s my little boy.”
Weeks earlier, Dean had posted a touching message to Josh on his 32nd birthday, pleading with him to get in touch. Meanwhile, on the pitch, the Wrexham star thrived during his debut season, netting 15 goals in 41 league appearances as Phil Parkinson’s side just fell short of pipping Hull to the final play-off spot.