Unforgettable: Rugby, dementia and the fight of my life

by Steve Thompson

'I'm in my early forties. There are days when I don't remember the names of my wife and four kids . . .'

In 2003, England won the Rugby World Cup. Steve Thompson was in England's front row, at the heart of the match, and at the heart of the scrum - one of sport's most violent battlegrounds.

But triumph came at a cost. Today, he remembers nothing about playing in that final. In his words, watching the tape back is like watching a ghost.

The years of hurt, and the culture of sucking up punishment and coming back for more, have taken a terrible toll. Steve has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and serious progressive brain damage. Steve and his wife Steph had a happy family life planned, with decades ahead of them. Now he needs to capture these elusive memories for the sake of his children, before they disappear forever.

With stories contributed by his world-cup winning teammates and his former manager, Sir Clive Woodward, Unforgettable is raw, powerful storytelling. This tale of hope and courage stands as testament to the ultimate strength of the human mind - and to a man no longer pushing himself to the limit for competition, but for his own place in the world.

Genres: Biography, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Memoir

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 28, 2022

About the author

Steve Thompson MBE is a former Rugby Union player and 2003 Rugby World Cup winner. Once England's most capped hooker, Thompson has also played for the British & Irish Lions as well as playing almost 200 matches for the Northampton Saints. The legacy of Steve's life in rugby should be a host of treasured memories. Instead, it is one of trying to recall the names of his wife and four young children. Being lost in a street he has walked down a hundred times. Steve has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia, the result of endless collisions, concussions, and injuries. He is now campaigning to improve the game and safeguard those who play it.

Reviews

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bittersweet emotional autobiography of an ex rugby union International and his battle with early on set dementia. Opens your eyes to the dangers of contact sports and head injuries

[Sue Gerhardt Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️s

This was very interesting yet so sad. An enlightening read about rugby and dementia.


Audiobook via BorrowBox
Published by: Blink Publishing
Read by Steve Thompson
Duration: 9 hrs, 1.25x Speed

[Gareth Is Haunted · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, sad, funny and informative read about Steve's journeys through life, Rugby and dementia.
It's heartbreaking to hear the effects of dementia on a person.

It does help to have some knowledge of rugby but it's no a necessity by any means.

[Cliff M · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book, but what will we as a society do about a sport that results in brain damage for so many players? Just read the book and carry on as before? Fiddle around the edges with ‘protocols’? Or will we face up to the fact that rugby - especially professional rugby - makes no sense, due to the brain damage being inflicted on a significant minority of players?

Steve Thompson was one of the stars of the England rugby team that won the World Cup in 2003. But in 2020 at the age of 42 he was diagnosed with early-onset dementia and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is the same brain condition that afflicts players of American Football, and has been the subject of several powerful documentaries. But for years prior to his diagnosis Steve was struggling big time with his memory. By the time he was diagnosed he was often to be found stumbling around in a mental fog with no idea of who or where he was. Most tellingly, Steve has no memory of even playing in the world cup - let alone winning it. No memory of even being in Australia for the competition. In fact he cannot remember a single game of rugby in which he was played (as professional, amateur and schoolboy) and has asked many times “Are you sure I was a rugby player?” (to which his friends reply, “Take a look at your face in the mirror, Steve.”).

I saw the change in rugby when it went from being an amateur game in 1995. At that point it went from being a game of running skill, strength and athleticism to the most brutal form of British Bulldogs imaginable, with winning collisions being the most import at part of the game. Players in the front row of the scrum went from weighing 14-16 stones (196 - 224lbs) to 20-25 stones (280 - 350lbs). Coaches now found themselves doing it full-time for a living. Scrum coaches - having nothing else to do - would ask players to do a hundred scrums per day (with the resulting shock to the brain each time the front rows collided). And so it went on…

I highly recommend the audiobook version of the book as it is narrated by Steve himself (slowly and carefully) plus his teammates, coaches and family.

[Adelyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. A bittersweet story, made even moreso by the fact that Thompson has dementia and cannot remember many of the events that took place. The audiobook I found special as it was narrated by people in Thompson's life, including other members of the World Cup winning team. More thoughts to follow.

[Dan Windsor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite sad but interesting

[Ruth Tremlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking read. The devastation of losing himself is clear throughout. I can’t imagine what it must be like to watch yourself on TV and have no recollection of it happening. I hope the powers that be in Rugby take notice and make changes to improve player safety. As a former player myself- I count myself incredibly lucky to have had a coach that was a stickler about head injuries- any sign and you were sat down- even though it wasn’t expected or deemed necessary by many. My body may still be broken like most former players but because of him my mind is intact.
A tough read but one that everyone should read.

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know much about rugby and all the names of English players and support team would have made a lot more sense to my husband than me but nevertheless this autobiography gave insight into Steve Thompson’s early life, and reflections on the impact of the sport of rugby on a person’s health and well-being and is very much a call for change as he lives with the effects of it and wants to prevent this happening to others.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half was slow with a lot of background. The second half was better when he started showing signs and then coming out. The public backlash from the sports fans etc.

I like the chapters from the wife’s perspective. Very heart breaking watching her husband go into decline. outbursts, silence and forgetting everything and everyone.

On the bright side, he tries his best to bring attention to it, raise the profile of the illness and how the sport just shakes it off.

[Mat Greener · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoirs of an England rugby player is not a book I would normally pick up but I heard Steve Thompson speak about his Dementia & was impressed. This is an excellent book & I think if anyone is cynical about rugby players & dementia they should read this. It is good to hear colleagues views except for Clive Woodward but it is worth persevering based CW as rest is excellent. ST comes across as very genuine person & very interesting how he deals with his condition & how it manifests itself.

[Mr Michael R Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking

I loved watching Steve Thompson play rugby, every match he gave his all but in this book he tells of the price he is now paying, not just him but his family.
A fighter he is looking to save other players going down the same rout
A great boom felling a heart rending story

[Brian Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brave unveiling of the consequences of playing the game. Sad at many levels, particularly when Steve regrets sometimes having “lifted a rugby ball” anyone who puts out there and up to those in authority with their mixture of responsibilities, should be commended. So it’s an authentic story and I hope Steve influences the changes needed in Rugby. Best of luck man

[J M Miles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think if you have an understanding of rugby ,especially if watching England play etc you would enjoy this book more as it is mostly about Steve's life as a rugby player.
The battle he is facing with dementia is heartbreaking, the chapter that his wife wrote especially so.
I hope the book does what he hopes it will, to raise awareness of brain injury in contact sports.

[M Earl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book which made me laugh, cry and remember the great times I sent with Wally at school and with the East Midlands. If it wasn't for this legend then the East Midland finals would never of happened and we certainly would have been staying in hotels. Thank you Wally.

[Richard Luck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humbling.

[Phil Altimas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very moving book,

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad, moving and important. Eye opening depiction of dementia and the lack of action being taken by rugby authorities to tackle concussion.

[Andrew Alvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steves' story is a tale of caution, one that he wishes he didn't have to tell but does so in the hope that others will learn from it and not take for granted the gift of memory recall.

[Caathh Mair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest, beautifully written and thought provoking.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Rounded up

[Rutger Gerrits · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly heavy read. How a couple of knocks to the head to many during the head, lead to early set dementia. Truly scary. But the book offers such an open and honest insight.

[Sarah Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fantastic and moving book. A must for any sports fan, whether you're a rugby fan or not. Wishing you all the best Steve and absolutely back every change you are trying to make with the sport x

[Charlotte Cake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye opening account with comments from friends and colleagues on the game and the impact it has on a friend, partner and playmate. Truly recommend very insightful.

[Nic Harp. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insiteful and beautiful .

[Deri Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read and so sad this is what rugby can do for some people.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Dale J Robb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good. Insightful, thought provoking and frighteningly honest.

[Gz00 · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK but becomes a little boring

[Steven Fone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful and frankly unnerving and unsettling as what could await any of us and the impact it can have on people close to you