It comes after high-profile former footballers Denis Law and Terry McDermott’s dementia diagnoses were publicly confirmed this month.

Sixty former players aged between 30 and 70 are urging football authorities to financially aid ex-players in their support of charity Head for Change – including former England striker and Match of the Day presenter Lineker.

Deane, a former Leeds and Sheffield United forward, has personally witnessed how devastating the condition can be, as his former Doncaster boss Dave Cusack was diagnosed with vascular dementia.

The 53-year-old, who was the scorer of the very first Premier League goal in 1992, believes the modern game “sits on the shoulders” of men like Cusack.