Astle family: FA concussion guidelines do not go far enough

Earlier this month the Football Association introduced new rules that club doctors will be allowed to remove players from the field if they suspect concussion.

The Premier League has also announced that 'tunnel doctors' will be mandatory for all games, and will be able to assist club doctors in assessing concussion.

But Dawn Astle, daughter of former Albion striker Jeff, has said football needs to address the wider issue of head and brain injuries in the sport.

A prolific header of the ball, Jeff died in 2002 of suspected Alzheimer's aged just 59, but new tests have revealed that he had the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which is found in brain-damaged ex-boxers.

Dawn said: "We welcome any steps, however small, to address the problem of brain injuries.

"But these are for players present and future - what about players past?

"The bit we are disappointed about is that there's no mention in this new guidance that concussion can be fatal, no mention of long-term problems, or that children take longer to recover.

"There's nothing in there about long-term implications, which is what dad had."

Last season Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris was knocked unconscious on the field, but allowed to play on.

Dawn added that it is a 'kick in the teeth' that the FA are seemingly doing something after that incident, which happened in front of the television cameras, but nothing was done for players 40 years ago.

She said: "People say that the ball has changed, that it's lighter, but there's no research to say it's any safer than the old ball, because it travels at a faster speed.

"So for people to assume it's safe is wrong."

West Brom have now announced that they will be supporting the family's Justice for Jeff campaign this year, with a home match to be dedicated to the former England striker, and a picture of him shown on the Hawthorns big screens during the ninth minute of every game - representing the number nine shirt worn by Astle.

Albion fans have taken to the campaign, and stand on every ninth minute of a match to give a round of applause.

Club chairman Jeremy Peace said: "The family have gone to extraordinary lengths to highlight the risks associated with head injuries in football. Their efforts are a fitting tribute to Jeff, who will always be a West Bromwich Albion legend."

Other aspects included under the new head injury guidelines include all Premier League staff having to carry a Concussion Recognition Tool, while annual pre-season testing of mental faculties is also recommended - concussed players will be retested to see if they are functioning as they were before their injury.

Dawn, her mother Laraine and sister Claire met with FA chairman Greg Dyke before last Sunday's Community Shield match at Wembley, in which he pledged to keep in touch with the family as it researched the effects of head injuries.