JIMMY CALDERWOOD has announced that he has Alzheimer's Disease.

The 62-year-old, who was appointed as a director with Cowdenbeath last summer, was diagnosed two years ago and has decided to go public to help raise awareness of the illness.

Calderwood, who also managed Dunfermline from 1999-2004, revealed the news with the support of charity Alzheimer Scotland.

In a statement, he said: "If, by making this public I can help others talk more openly about dementia, then that will be something positive. That is why I have spoken with Alzheimer Scotland and invited them along to join me today.

"I haven't been comfortable with keeping this as a secret and when I recently heard than an old team-mate of mine in Holland is also living with Alzheimer's Disease, it prompted me to go public.

"Right now I am still fine, except for being a bit forgetful with some names but I am determined to continue enjoying my life."

Calderwood, who left his last management job as De Graafschap boss in early 2014 before being appointed onto the Blue Brazil board by Donald Findlay last July, added: "It was actually my partner, Yvonne, who noticed I was getting a wee bit forgetful and she insisted that I go and get checked out.

"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. But I am grateful to her because now I know I have it I can do what I can to fight against it.

"Right now I am keeping myself as fit as I can by going to the gym two or three times a week and I watch a lot of football, both on the television and by going to games. Also, I go down to Birmingham a couple of times a season to see my old pals in the Birmingham ex-Players Association and watch matches there.

"I have also been contacted by a number of journalists for my views on certain aspects of football and I've got no trouble in being able to give them as I am still up to date with what's going on in the game, so I hope to keep hearing from them."

Jim Pearson, director of policy and research at Alzheimer Scotland, said: "By sharing his story, Jimmy is making a powerful contribution to helping other people, their families and friends, to talk more openly and come forward earlier for help and support if they are worried about their memory or other changes that they have noticed. Dementia knows no boundaries and affects people in every walk of life."

After an eight-year spell with Birmingham City at the start of his playing career, Calderwood moved Sparta Rotterdam in 1980.

He spent the rest of his playing days in the Netherlands before moving into coaching with Willem II and NEC Nijmegen.

He was appointed Dunfermline boss in November 1999 and led the club to promotion from the First Division at the end of that season.

He took the Pars to their first Scottish Cup final since 1968 in 2004, where they went down to Celtic, before leaving for Aberdeen.

Calderwood took the Pittodrie side to the last 32 of the UEFA Cup - and a tie with German giants Bayern Munich - in the 2007-2008 season before leaving in 2009.

He had brief spells in charge of Kilmarnock, Ross County and Dutch outfits Go Ahead Eagles and De Graafschap before arriving at Central Park.