Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Iwan Roberts played for teams including Norwich, Leicester and Huddersfield

Under 10s should be banned from heading footballs, former Wales striker Iwan Roberts has said.

A study by the University of Stirling suggested it caused instant, short term changes to the brain.

Mr Roberts said the Football Association of Wales (FAW) could be brave and make this "correct decision".

The FAW Trust, which looks after the grassroots game, said robust evidence of the effect on the brain would be needed for any ban.

Football's governing body in the United States has already stopped juniors from heading the ball and the idea is getting growing support here.

The head of the of the Professional Footballers' Association, Gordon Taylor, has added his voice to those who support a ban.

Speaking on BBC Radio Wales' Good Morning Wales programme, Mr Roberts said: "I think it would be a brave move from the FAW if they were to take this stance.

"I think it would be the correct decision and if they did go through with this decision then, hopefully, other FAs will be brave enough and follow in the Welsh FA's footsteps."

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But Luke Griggs from brain injury charity, Headway, is not convinced there is enough evidence for a ban.

"This kind of conversation is really positive but we've got to make sure we don't put people off from getting involved in football," he said.

"What we do need is more studies to back this up and we urgently need these studies.

"The Stirling one in particular was only 19 people in the study and it was a very short term piece of research so I think we have to be very cautious in the way we are interpreting that data."

Mr Roberts said heading should not be taught to children until they were at least 14.

FAW Trust chief executive Neil Ward said: "One of our objectives is to ensure that children have a safe and enjoyable football offer.

"In recent years we have amended the format of mini football to ensure it meets the needs of children and worked hard through our coach education programme to advise coaches on how to support the development of young players.

"Should this and other research provide a robust evidence base that the game needs to be adapted to preclude heading then the required changes would of course be made."