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9th Minute Applause on Saturday

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Not us, but the West Brom fans will be doing so and here's why:

Leicester City fans urged to join tribute to West Brom legend Jeff Astle

Leicester City fans are invited to join their West Brom counterparts in a minute’s applause during this weekend’s Premier League clash in tribute to former England striker Jeff Astle.

The family of the Baggies legend, most of whom live in Leicestershire, will be in the away end at the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Jeff, who played 361 games for the Black Country club – scoring 174 goals – died in 2002, aged 59.

Although a coroner ruled his death an industrial injury brought on by repeatedly heading a ball during his career, his family is campaigning for football and other sporting authorities to investigate the issue more seriously.

Daughter Dawn Astle, of Measham, said they will unveil a large banner reading ‘Justice for Jeff’ to begin a minute’s applause in the ninth minute of the game – in recognition of the famous number nine.

“We're taking the banner to every away game this season,” said the 46-year-old.

“The response from home fans has been brilliant, so far, and we’d like to invite City fans to join us on Saturday.”

Dawn will be attending the match with son Matt, 16, and sisters Claire, who lives in Moira, near Ashby, and Dorice (CORR), from Donisthorpe.

She said: “Obviously, we’re all diehard West Brom fans, but living in Leicestershire will make Saturday’s game with City extra special – like our home fixture.

"Most of our friends in Measham are also City fans and the support they've shown us has been fantastic."

Lance Tomlyn, of the Leicester City Independent Supporters Club, said: “Jeff was a great player and remembered with a lot of affection by football fans across the country.

“I’m sure City fans will be more than happy to join the Astles and Baggies supporters to support the campaign.”

He added: “I think Leicester identify with West Brom as we are both similar-sized clubs with a family tradition.

“It’s a great campaign and shows how, despite our rivalries on the pitch, we can all come together for causes like this as one football family.”

Dawn said: "Interestingly, Dad's first game for West Brom was against City at Filbert Street. It was an midweek game and he'd only signed that afternoon so had missed the team bus.

"The chairman told him he had to make his own way to Leicester so he and mum got in their car and drove.

"The funny thing was when they got to Filbert Street Dad told security he was West Brom's new signing and was late but they didn't believe him. They thought he was trying it on.

"I think he ended up driving through the bollards!""

She added: "Then, when he walked into the away dressing room, wearing his shirt and tie and brand new green blazer with shiny brass buttons, his new teammates thought he was the bus driver. They always ribbed him over that and he never wore that jacket again.

"I think Leicester won that night, but Dad scored in the next game and his West Brom career took off."

Jeff, who died from choking with his loved ones present but powerless to help, had been wrongly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease before his death.

His family gave his brain to medical research – and earlier this year a top brain specialist revealed that he was, in fact, suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disease normally associated with boxers.

The Astles’ Justice for Jeff campaign is calling for a fully independent investigation into the link between heading a football and CTE.

In August, Dawn and Claire met FA chairman Greg Dyke to discuss the issue.

It was followed in September by a meeting with PFA (Players Football Association) chief executive Gordon Taylor, where they were joined by England coach and former Manchester United captain Gary Neville.

Dawn said: “Both the FA and PFA promised to ensure there would be an independent study researching the effects of heading a ball on footballers.

“It will coincide with study to establish exactly how widespread CTE is among former footballers at all levels of the game.”

She added: “We’ve made huge strides in the last few months, but

cannot afford to let up the pressure.

“The FA have made promises before, but a previous 10-year study simply petered out.

“This time we want it to be different. So many other players diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease could actually have, or had, CTE.

“That’s why it’s important all football fans join us. Not just to get justice for our Dad but for all the other players, many who may have played for their team.”

FA chairman Greg Dyke said he believes it is important for the sport to research the issue of CTE within the game.

He said: “It is clear that we do not have enough understanding of head injuries in football, or the effects of either successive concussions or the impact of heading the ball. We therefore believe that football needs to do more to understand whether there is an increased likelihood of either dementia or other degenerative brain diseases for footballers.”

The Astle family has recently set up a Justice for Jeff website, which can be found at: www.justiceforjeff.co.uk.

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Leicester-City-fans-urged-join-tribute-West-Brom/story-23677992-detail/story.html

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I think there are a lot of footballers out there who have had issues from heading hard balls. Very hard to prove but kills a lot of brain cells every header. It's probably still an issue today, but not as serious as those leather balls that soaked up the rain. 

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As Collymore says can't be anywhere near as bad these days and I can't see what you can do about it other than ban heading which is a significant part of the game, wearing head protection doesn't do much either.

Best of luck to those campaigning though.

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I think their are a lot of footballers out there who have had issues from heading hard balls. Very hard to prove but kills a lot of brain cells every header. It's probably still an issue today, but not as serious as those leather balls that soaked up the rain. 

 

Yeah, I definitely don't think it's as much of an issue these days with how light the balls are - still, smashing your head into something 10 or 15 times a game can't really do your bonce that much good, can it? If it really is dangerous then Wes Morgan is in serious trouble!

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Yeah, I definitely don't think it's as much of an issue these days with how light the balls are - still, smashing your head into something 10 or 15 times a game can't really do your bonce that much good, can it? If it really is dangerous then Wes Morgan is in serious trouble!

 

In part, the campaigners may just be wishing that things had been different in the past, when balls were heavier and players like Astle suffered the damage that they did - and wanting to achieve something in the name of someone who suffered the ill-effects. The campaign demands are perfectly reasonable, though. They essentially just want proper research carried out into the ongoing effects - and until proper research is completed, we can't know whether it is still an issue.

 

It's good that some current players, such as Chris Wood, are well aware of the potential dangers of heading the ball.  :ph34r:

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What are the aims of this campaign, and what is the "justice" they want?

 

The campaign name sounds like some sort of quest for compensation, or an apology, but I don't see anyone denying he suffered from CET, or dismissing it as an issue. If they just want to increase awareness of CET and encourage the FA and others to investigate then the name is very misleading.

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I could understand if this was a recent event and raising awareness was critical to the safety of others today. But he died in 2002, and he was heading these balls as much as half a century ago. 

 

I think it's great that people are more conscious of certain issues but choosing a minute of each game 'to show appreciation for' or 'as a tribute to' something seems the very IN thing to do.

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These minutes applauses are getting a bit weird, barely a game seems to go by without one now, Man City Spurs they had three different ones in 90 mins last week.

I remember doing a tribute to Jeff Astle at West Brom when we lost 1-0 there in the cup. That was nice and quite poignant. I'd feel weird doing another one and I don't see how this act helps a quest for justice.

We're in danger of lowering actual tributes to quite pointless trivial events that mean nothing if we carry on like this.

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Not us, but the West Brom fans will be doing so and here's why:

Leicester City fans urged to join tribute to West Brom legend Jeff Astle

Leicester City fans are invited to join their West Brom counterparts in a minute’s applause during this weekend’s Premier League clash in tribute to former England striker Jeff Astle.

The family of the Baggies legend, most of whom live in Leicestershire, will be in the away end at the King Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Jeff, who played 361 games for the Black Country club – scoring 174 goals – died in 2002, aged 59.

Although a coroner ruled his death an industrial injury brought on by repeatedly heading a ball during his career, his family is campaigning for football and other sporting authorities to investigate the issue more seriously.

Daughter Dawn Astle, of Measham, said they will unveil a large banner reading ‘Justice for Jeff’ to begin a minute’s applause in the ninth minute of the game – in recognition of the famous number nine.

“We're taking the banner to every away game this season,” said the 46-year-old.

“The response from home fans has been brilliant, so far, and we’d like to invite City fans to join us on Saturday.”

Dawn will be attending the match with son Matt, 16, and sisters Claire, who lives in Moira, near Ashby, and Dorice (CORR), from Donisthorpe.

She said: “Obviously, we’re all diehard West Brom fans, but living in Leicestershire will make Saturday’s game with City extra special – like our home fixture.

"Most of our friends in Measham are also City fans and the support they've shown us has been fantastic."

Lance Tomlyn, of the Leicester City Independent Supporters Club, said: “Jeff was a great player and remembered with a lot of affection by football fans across the country.

“I’m sure City fans will be more than happy to join the Astles and Baggies supporters to support the campaign.”

He added: “I think Leicester identify with West Brom as we are both similar-sized clubs with a family tradition.

“It’s a great campaign and shows how, despite our rivalries on the pitch, we can all come together for causes like this as one football family.”

Dawn said: "Interestingly, Dad's first game for West Brom was against City at Filbert Street. It was an midweek game and he'd only signed that afternoon so had missed the team bus.

"The chairman told him he had to make his own way to Leicester so he and mum got in their car and drove.

"The funny thing was when they got to Filbert Street Dad told security he was West Brom's new signing and was late but they didn't believe him. They thought he was trying it on.

"I think he ended up driving through the bollards!""

She added: "Then, when he walked into the away dressing room, wearing his shirt and tie and brand new green blazer with shiny brass buttons, his new teammates thought he was the bus driver. They always ribbed him over that and he never wore that jacket again.

"I think Leicester won that night, but Dad scored in the next game and his West Brom career took off."

Jeff, who died from choking with his loved ones present but powerless to help, had been wrongly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease before his death.

His family gave his brain to medical research – and earlier this year a top brain specialist revealed that he was, in fact, suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disease normally associated with boxers.

The Astles’ Justice for Jeff campaign is calling for a fully independent investigation into the link between heading a football and CTE.

In August, Dawn and Claire met FA chairman Greg Dyke to discuss the issue.

It was followed in September by a meeting with PFA (Players Football Association) chief executive Gordon Taylor, where they were joined by England coach and former Manchester United captain Gary Neville.

Dawn said: “Both the FA and PFA promised to ensure there would be an independent study researching the effects of heading a ball on footballers.

“It will coincide with study to establish exactly how widespread CTE is among former footballers at all levels of the game.”

She added: “We’ve made huge strides in the last few months, but

cannot afford to let up the pressure.

“The FA have made promises before, but a previous 10-year study simply petered out.

“This time we want it to be different. So many other players diagnosed with a degenerative brain disease could actually have, or had, CTE.

“That’s why it’s important all football fans join us. Not just to get justice for our Dad but for all the other players, many who may have played for their team.”

FA chairman Greg Dyke said he believes it is important for the sport to research the issue of CTE within the game.

He said: “It is clear that we do not have enough understanding of head injuries in football, or the effects of either successive concussions or the impact of heading the ball. We therefore believe that football needs to do more to understand whether there is an increased likelihood of either dementia or other degenerative brain diseases for footballers.”

The Astle family has recently set up a Justice for Jeff website, which can be found at: www.justiceforjeff.co.uk.

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Leicester-City-fans-urged-join-tribute-West-Brom/story-23677992-detail/story.html

 

Ha no way, she helps run our Sunday U18's. Never knew she was Jeff Astle's daughter

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These minutes applauses are getting a bit weird, barely a game seems to go by without one now, Man City Spurs they had three different ones in 90 mins last week.

I remember doing a tribute to Jeff Astle at West Brom when we lost 1-0 there in the cup. That was nice and quite poignant. I'd feel weird doing another one and I don't see how this act helps a quest for justice.

We're in danger of lowering actual tributes to quite pointless trivial events that mean nothing if we carry on like this.

This.

Over and over. Didn't we have one for our owners just to say thanks for not being as crap as Tam?

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These things happen far too often and they've lost their meaning as a result. Save it for when an event that really holds some significance to it rather than doing it to give yourself a pat on the back for how respectful you are.

How many minutes silences/ applause do Liverpool have a season? They might aswell just have a black armband sewn into their shirts.

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How many minutes silences/ applause do Liverpool have a season? They might aswell just have a black armband sewn into their shirts.

 

I believe there were a number of groans when Liverpool changed their badge too. Removing the torches, which were there as a nod to the Hillsborough Disaster, was seen as distasteful and uncaring by some.

 

When your club becomes a part-time memorial service it's probably time to reconsider your approach.

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