Jeff Astle fight prompts players' union study
Fresh research into the effects of heading footballs will be carried out by the football players' union, the family of West Bromwich Albion legend Jeff Astle have revealed.
The Professional Footballers Association also plans to create a Jeff Astle Foundation in honour of the striker.
It would help former players with degenerative brain diseases and also raise awareness.
The 59-year-old's brain disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), was linked to repeatedly heading the ball throughout his career.
New tests confirmed that he died in 2002 from the same disease which is found in brain-damaged former boxers.
Talks have taken place between Mr Astle's two daughters, Claire and Dawn, and the chairman of the football players' union Gordon Taylor and his deputy John Bramhall who revealed that the new research would be carried out.
The meeting was organised by England coach and former Manchester United defender Gary Neville after the family raised their concerns over comments made by Mr Taylor in a radio interview.
The family said that Mr Taylor had claimed during the interview with TalkSport that an unpublished study in 2002 showed there was 'no causal link' between head injuries in football and dementia.
Despite this Mr Taylor said that footballers 'know the risks' and pointed to boxers continuing to box despite issues with head injuries, they said.
The Football Association insist the study was never completed and it is something the Astle family, with their Justice for Jeff campaign, have been fighting for.
Dawn Astle said Mr Taylor apologised for his comments saying he had been 'ill-advised and mis-informed', and said she was happy with how the meeting went.
She said: "Whatever was upsetting or annoying us, we understand we need to work with the PFA. We need them to be on board and now we feel that they are.
"The most important thing for us is the research, because they have such huge resources they can do more than us.
"Before we had even mentioned it, they said they felt there should be something set up as a lasting legacy for Dad.
"They said they would help set up the Jeff Astle Foundation to help former players with degenerative brain diseases and keep pushing education about it.
"They said that anything that is done will be passed by us first and we can have our input. The research needs to be done by experts in that field, not football experts.
"I think that they are united with the Astle family and this is a very important thing."
She said Mr Neville acted as an independent party at the meeting, but said the former right-back supported their calls for researched and that he was interested in the effects of heading footballs.
