Neil Warnock calls for concussion substitutes 'commonsense' as likes of Rotherham United great Dave Watson struggle

This month The International Football Association Board – who write football's rules – rejected a Premier League request to trial allowing substitutes on for 15 minutes to assess head injuries.

In practice medics are currently expected to decide in around five on-field minutes if a player should be permanently removed.

Now 74, Huddersfield Town manager Warnock has seen the effects of dementia – thought to be linked to repeatedly heading footballs – on his generation.

MILMOOR LEGEND: Dave Watson, who played for Sunderland, Manchester City and Southampton amongst others after leaving Rotherham United

"You've got to be conscious of it because everybody knows the results and managers do try and rush players back at times," he said. "Managers should just leave it to the medical people.

"I think in the next couple of years you'll see concussion subs allowed, it's just commonsense. I don't understand why it's not come in already."

As a Rotherham player Warnock was captained by centre-back/centre-forward Watson, who later won 65 England caps.

The 76 year-old has a neurodegenerative disease his wife Penny believes was caused by heading.

CONCERNS: Huddersfield Town manager Neil Warnock says he is glad he played as a winger

"He was the first pick in five-a-side because he was like three men and he headed the ball 40 yards," recalled Warnock. "I'm just glad I was a winger.

"We don't really know the damage and I don't think we're getting closer to finding out.

"The balls we played with and even the Mitre balls which were a lot lighter were still nothing like today’s. I don't think anyone knows the damage heading a ball like that 40 times in a game did."