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Jeff Astle Death: FA 'Don't Care' About Head Injuries

'The FA Don't Care' - Astle's Widow Hits Out Over Sport's Concussion Row
The Huffington Post UK/PA
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Jeff Astle's widow claims the Football Association "don't care" about examining footballers' head injuries.

Astle, who is best remembered for scoring West Brom's winning goal in the 1968 FA Cup final, died in 2002 aged 59 after being originally diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

However, neurosurgeon Dr Willie Stewart carried out a re-examination of Astle's brain at Glasgow's Southern General Hospital after being granted permission by the footballer's family. He concluded Astle had died from a brain condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disease found in individuals with a history of multiple concussions and other forms of head injury.

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Astle scored the winner in the 1968 FA Cup final

Astle's family have been campaigning for the FA to investigate the damage caused by head injuries in football and his wife, Laraine, broke down in tears on Monday as she described her disgust FA chairman Greg Dyke had not contacted her family after he was sent advance notice of the latest examination of her husband's brain.

Mrs Astle, 67, said: "I just feel the FA, they don't care. They just want the World Cup and all the things that go with it.

"They're not bothered about former players. They're not bothered about our family's suffering. He [Dyke]'s swanned off to Brazil and he's never acknowledged anything."

"We thought foolishly perhaps that we would have had some reply from him as the seriousness of CTE was found which left no doubt whatsoever what killed Jeff.

Jeff Astle
Soccer - FA Cup Final - West Bromwich Albion v Everton (01 of22)
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West Bromwich Albion's winning goalscorer Jeff Astle (left) lifts the cup with team mate Bobby Hope (right) (credit:PA)
Jeff Astle death(02 of22)
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File photo dated 01/09/1970 of Jeff Astle, as the former England and West Brom striker died from a brain condition normally linked to boxers, a top neurosurgeon has claimed. (credit:PA)
Soccer - Football League Division One - Crystal Palace v West Bromwich Albion(03 of22)
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Jeff Astle, West Bromwich Albion (credit:PA)
Soccer - Football League Division One - Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion(04 of22)
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Jeff Astle, West Bromwich Albion (credit:PA)
Jeff Astle death(05 of22)
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File photo dated 12/05/1970 of Jeff Astle, as the former England and West Brom striker died from a brain condition normally linked to boxers, a top neurosurgeon has claimed. (credit:PA)
Soccer - Football League Division One - Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion(06 of22)
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Jeff Astle, West Bromwich Albion (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Final - West Bromwich Albion v Everton (07 of22)
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Jeff Astle - West Bromwich Albion (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup Final - West Bromwich Albion v Everton(08 of22)
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(R-L) West Bromwich Albion captain Graham Williams lifts the FA Cup as teammates Ian Collard, Jeff Astle, Clive Clark and John Talbot celebrate their victory (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup Final - West Bromwich Albion v Everton (09 of22)
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West Bromwich Albion celebrate with the FA Cup after their 1-0 victory: (back row, l-r) Doug Fraser, Dennis Clarke, John Osborne, Tony Brown, Graham Lovett, Jeff Astle, John Talbut (front row, l-r) Ian Collard, Graham Williams, Clive Clark, Bobby Hope (credit:PA)
Soccer - League Cup Final - Queens Park Rangers v West Bromwich Albion(10 of22)
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West Bromwich Albion's Jeff Astle (fifth l) heads for goal at a corner (credit:PA)
Jeff Astle(11 of22)
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Jeff Astle of West Bromich Albion. * 30/01/2002: Hundreds of football fans were expected to attend the funeral of former England footballer Jeff Astle, who died earlier this month aged 59. A funeral service for the one-time West Bromwich Albion striker was being held at St Peter's Church in the star's home village of Netherseal, Derbyshire. (credit:PA)
Football - England - Heathrow Airport - London - 1970(12 of22)
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The England squad at Heathrow Airport in London prior to Mexico and the World Cup tournament. Pictured is Jeff Astle playing a record on the portable record-player as he waits with Emlyn Hughes (left) and Geoff Hurst for their departure. England currently are hitting the top spot in the charts with their song Back Home released by Pye Records. (credit:PA)
Soccer - Friendly International - Belgium v England - England Squad - Heathrow Airport(13 of22)
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A game of cards takes the mind off football and relieves the tedium of waiting for the plane for members of the England party en route to Belgium from Heathrow Airport. From left to right; Geoff Hurst, Jeff Astle, Gordon Banks, Alan Ball, Tommy Wright and Jackie Charlton. (credit:PA)
Soccer - England World Cup Footballers Receive Cars from Ford - Brentwood, Essex(14 of22)
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England and West Bromwich Albion's Jeff Astle, wearing his West Bromwich Albion shirt, sits on the bonnet of his new Ford Cortina which he can use for the year courtesy of Fords of Britain. (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Semifinal - West Bromwich Albion v Birmingham City - Villa Park(15 of22)
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West Bromwich Albion's goal-scorers Tony Brown (l) and Jeff Astle, pictured in the dressing room after their 2-0 FA Cup Semi-final win over Birmingham City (credit:PA)
SOCCER(16 of22)
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* FRANK SKINNER KISSES THE FEET OF JEFF ASTLE, FORMER WEST BROMWICH ALBION PLAYER (credit:PA)
Soccer - Football League Division One - West Bromwich Albion Photocall(17 of22)
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Jeff Astle, West Bromwich Albion (credit:PA)
Soccer - FA Cup - Final - West Bromwich Albion v Everton(18 of22)
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West Bromwich Albion's winning goalscorer Jeff Astle (r) and his wife Loraine (l) drink to victory at the club's post-match banquet (credit:PA)
Soccer - Football League Division One - Blackpool v West Bromwich Albion (19 of22)
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L-R, Jeff Astle - West Bromwich Albion, Jimmy Armfield - Blackpool, Harry Thompson - Blackpool (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - West Bromwich Albion v Cardiff City - The Hawthorns(20 of22)
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Tributes to the late Jeff Astle left on the gates at The Hawthorns (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - West Bromwich Albion v Cardiff City - The Hawthorns(21 of22)
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Tributes to the late Jeff Astle left on the gates at The Hawthorns (credit:PA)
Soccer - Barclays Premier League - West Bromwich Albion v Cardiff City - The Hawthorns(22 of22)
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Tributes to the late Jeff Astle left on the gates at The Hawthorns (credit:PA)

"We perhaps thought an email or a phone call just to say 'I did receive your letter and I'm so sorry to read how badly damaged Jeff's brain was and the result of it.'"

Mrs Astle made the comments at the launch of a cross-party report, entitled Concussion Can Kill, which calls for a Parliamentary inquiry into concussion in sport.

On hearing her remarks at the event in Portcullis House, central London, Labour MP Chris Bryant said: "That is pretty despicable to be honest.

"If only 0.7% of the transfer money that is spent on footballers every year was devoted to research, it would make a dramatic difference and families such as yours might not have to face this again."

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