The Professional Footballers’ Association has called on the game’s authorities to consider a ban on heading for children aged under 10, The Telegraph can reveal.

It follows guidelines in the United States that now prevent young children from heading the ball, a new study by the University of Stirling that indicated memory impairment after heading the ball and what experts have called the “frightening” anecdotal evidence of former players suffering with serious brain conditions.

The Scottish Youth Football Association has promised to review its guidelines “urgently” and, asked whether football generally should follow, PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor told The Telegraph: “I think that has to be a serious consideration. It is not a knee-jerk reaction. It would be a considered reaction bearing in mind evidence that has been coming through from different sports and to a limited extent in football.

“It would be a statement that might encourage a greater attention to this issue with regard to developed adults. There have been rule changes for youngsters about pitches they play on, about the numbers in the game, about whether or not girls should be involved with boys and up to what age. It is very much in line with that. We don’t want to put off the next generation but we need to be very mindful. The game needs to have a duty of care to all its participants.”