GIVEN it was a sense of Glaswegian macho stoicism that delayed Jimmy Calderwood discovering he had Alzheimer’s disease, then perhaps it was not a surprise to learn that same just-get-on-with-it attitude will also shape his approach to dealing with the condition.

The former Aberdeen and Dunfermline Athletic football manager was diagnosed with dementia nearly two years ago but decided yesterday it was “time to go public” in the hope his announcement would induce a wider discussion about the disease, while also encouraging those struggling with similar symptoms to seek medical advice earlier than he did.

“I suppose I am a typical west of Scotland man of my generation and the last thing I think about is going to the doctor with anything I think of as just being minor,” said the 62 year-old.

“The message to others is not to be afraid to come forward and talk about it. That’s exactly why we are here today. That’s the message I want to get over.”

It was his partner Yvonne who first noticed something wasn’t quite right and urged him to see a doctor. “He thought he was just forgetting things but it was happening more and more often and I thought he had to go and see about it,” she revealed. “I knew there was something that wasn’t right.”

Calderwood, also joined yesterday by Jim Pearson, Director of Policy & Research at Alzheimer Scotland, and Kirsty Yanik, the organisation’s communications manager, has a reputation as one of Scottish football’s hardier characters and he revealed a determination to tackle his condition head on, regardless of what the future may bring.

“Strangely, it hasn’t been too bad,” he said of the past two years spent adjusting to and learning about Alzheimer’s.

“I’ve just got on with things. I’ve had a wonderful life in football, I’ve been all over the world 10 times and it hasn’t cost me a ha’penny which isn’t bad for a wee boy from Govan.

“I have probably had to learn a lot because I didn’t know much about it at all. It did come as a bit of a surprise. Getting your head round it and accepting it is the most important thing.

“I was quite sad at first but then you’ve just got to get on with it. That’s the way life is. There is no use going about moaning all the time. I had enough of that on the pitch.

“I’m not really a person who is scared of anything. I will just get on with life. I feel great at the moment and we will see how it goes.”

Staying active has been part of the coping mechanism, Calderwood looking as fit and healthy as he has done for quite some time.

A former player and manager in the Netherlands, speaking Dutch with former colleagues has also helped him stay mentally alert.

“He never forgets, or very seldom forgets, anything about football,” said Yvonne. “Goals, who is playing, when they are playing - his memory for that is unbelievable.

“And when he is talking on the phone to his Dutch friends, he is fluent, he never stumbles. It’s very smooth.”

“My Dutch is better than my Scottish,” replied her partner in a flash, providing a touch of levity to proceedings. “And I have been doing a lot of running and gym stuff.

“Sometimes I enjoy it and other days I think I have to stop it. But then I sit in the house and say I just need to get it done.”

Calderwood is the latest in an increasingly long line of former professionals to be struck by dementia following the cases of fellow Scots Billy McNeill, Jimmy Millar and Frank Kopel.

Trying to establish a connection between the effects of repeatedly heading the old heavy leather footballs and Alzheimer’s is an ongoing process.

“This is obviously something that is becoming more and more a common question because there are more footballers and sports people who are coming out and sharing their stories,” said Pearson.

“But we don’t know if there is a higher proportion of footballers getting dementia than there are in the general population.

“That evidence doesn’t exist at the moment, although we know it is a question on everybody’s lips. We will work with the research community around developing better evidence.

“We also need to get better funding for development because, quite frankly, dementia is underfunded in general because we don’t know some of the causes of Alzheimer issues, never mind this.”

Calderwood has never hidden his affinity for Rangers and is now a season ticket holder at Ibrox. It is the only thing to sometimes get him down.

“His mindset every day when he gets up is the same, he doesn’t dwell on the illness at all,” added Yvonne. “He never moans or complains.

“He is always laughing and joking. When his team gets beaten he doesn’t like that but apart from that his mindset is very positive and that is what keeps him going.”

- Anyone concerned about dementia or looking for support can contact Alzheimer Scotland’s Freephone helpline on 0808 808 3000