Hayley McQueen: Biography, Father Gordon and Tragic Deaths

Growing up in a football household, Hayley McQueen followed her father Gordon’s legacy to become a Sky Sports News anchor. But the story behind the headlines involves a coroner’s inquest linking her father’s death to heading footballs, a finding that has shaken the sport.

Born: 9 December 1979 ·
Age (as of 2024): 44 ·
Father: Gordon McQueen ·
Profession: Sports presenter and journalist ·
Known for: Sky Sports News anchor

Six key facts define Hayley McQueen’s profile:

Who is Hayley McQueen’s partner?

Is Hayley McQueen married?

Hayley McQueen is in a relationship with Kirk Newmann, but the two are not married. She has a daughter named Ayla from a previous relationship (Wikipedia (biographical entry)). The couple has kept their private life largely out of the spotlight, though McQueen occasionally shares family moments on Instagram.

Who is Kirk Newmann?

Kirk Newmann is a businessman based in the UK. Public details about his background are limited, but he is frequently mentioned as McQueen’s partner in media reports (The Sun (UK tabloid)).

How old is Hayley McQueen?

Hayley McQueen was born on 9 December 1979, making her 44 years old as of 2024 (Wikipedia (biographical entry)).

The implication: Her personal life remains private despite her public role.

Who is Hayley McQueen’s dad?

Is Hayley McQueen related to Gordon McQueen?

Yes, Hayley McQueen is the daughter of Gordon McQueen, the legendary Scottish footballer (Wikipedia (biographical entry)). The father-daughter bond was close, and Hayley often spoke about her father’s influence on her career.

Who is Gordon McQueen’s daughter?

Gordon McQueen had two children: a son, Eddie, and a daughter, Hayley (The Guardian (UK newspaper)). Hayley is the more publicly known, having built a successful career in sports broadcasting.

What this means: The McQueen name carries weight both on and off the pitch.

How good was Gordon McQueen?

What were Gordon McQueen’s achievements?

Gordon McQueen was a towering centre-back who played for Leeds United (1970–1978) and Manchester United (1978–1985). He won the FA Cup with Manchester United in 1983 and was part of the Leeds side that won the First Division title in 1973–74 (The Guardian (UK newspaper)). He later became a TV pundit for Sky Sports (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)).

How many caps did he earn for Scotland?

McQueen earned 30 caps for Scotland between 1974 and 1981 and scored five goals. He played in the 1978 World Cup, famously scoring in a 3–2 win over the Netherlands (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)). He was inducted into the Scottish Football Hall of Fame in 2017 (BBC Sport (public service broadcaster)).

The pattern: A football career that spanned decades now influences health debates.

Where did Gordon McQueen live when he died?

When did Gordon McQueen die?

Gordon McQueen died on 15 June 2023 at the age of 70 (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)).

What caused his death?

An inquest held in early 2026 found that the cause of death was pneumonia as a consequence of mixed vascular dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Coroner Jon Heath concluded that heading footballs likely contributed to the brain injury that led to his death (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster)). A post-mortem confirmed CTE and vascular dementia (BBC Sport (public service broadcaster)).

McQueen lived in Hutton Rudby, North Yorkshire, at the time of his death (BBC Sport (public service broadcaster)).

The catch: The same skill that defined his career also contributed to his decline.

Which famous Scots footballer recently passed away?

What happened to Gary Shaw?

Gary Shaw, a former Stoke City and Scotland forward, died in 2022 at age 60. The cause of his death has not been publicly confirmed (BBC Sport (public service broadcaster)).

Which football manager tragically took his own life?

In a separate, deeply saddening case, a Scottish football manager reportedly took his own life. The identity and details remain unclear, and the case is not publicly linked to the McQueen family (The Sun (UK tabloid)).

What this means: The cluster of early deaths demands action from football authorities.

Timeline: Key events in Hayley McQueen’s life and family

• 1979 – Hayley McQueen born on 9 December (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
• 2000s – Began career in sports journalism (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
• 2010s – Joined Sky Sports News as lead anchor (Wikipedia (biographical entry))
• 15 June 2023 – Gordon McQueen dies aged 70 (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster))
• 2026 – Coroner’s inquest finds heading contributed to McQueen’s death (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster))

The timeline shows the interconnectedness of family and football.

Clarity: Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

The divide between confirmed and unclear highlights the limits of public knowledge.

Quotes that shaped the story

“Heading a football likely contributed to the brain injury that contributed to his death.”

– Coroner Jon Heath (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster))

“A great man and a great life.”

– Peter Reid, former teammate, at Gordon McQueen’s funeral (Sky Sports (UK sports broadcaster))

McQueen’s death has become a defining moment in the debate over football’s long-term health risks. For the McQueen family, the inquest provided a measure of closure but also a stark warning. For the football authorities, the choice is clear: implement stricter heading regulations in training and matches, or risk more families facing the same tragedy.

Frequently asked questions

These questions address common curiosities about Hayley McQueen’s personal and professional life.