Plans to limit children heading footballs welcomed by family of Albion hero Jeff Astle

Proposals have been drawn up by the Football Association (FA) to offer new guidance to coaches which will reduce exposure to heading among children.

It follows years of mounting evidence that heading footballs can lead to degenerative brain conditions in later life.

The family of West Bromwich Albion hero Astle, who died in 2002 of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) linked to heading footballs, are long-standing campaigners around the dangers of heading.

Results of a study published in October found ex-footballers are around three-and-a-half times more likely to die from dementia than the general population.

They met with FA officials at Staffordshire's St George's Park on Tuesday to discuss the proposals.

The FA's new guidelines, which are expected to be issued later this month, will only apply in training and not in matches but are a clear signal that the issue is being taken seriously by senior figures at the top of the game.

Jeff Astle's daughter Dawn, who has led the calls for action through the foundation set up in her father's name, said the change would be a "massive" step forward and that the new guidelines would "make the game we all love safer".

She said: "It's something that I think needed to be done in light of the study. That's what we've been saying, not just for kids but professionals too.

"It's doing something to reduce the risk and protecting them from something that could potentially destroy their brains later in life. It is something that will never get better. It's irreversible.

"I think when the study came out there would have been a lot of parents thinking 'is it safe for my child to head the ball?'.

"What we need is clear, concrete guidelines, to have something in writing."

Concussion substitutes could also be introduced into English football from as early as next season in a further statement of intent on head injuries from football bosses.

The Premier League, the Football Association and football’s rule-makers, the International Football Association Board, have been discussing a system that would allow teams to temporarily replace a player while he is assessed.

The Astle family battled for years for recognition from the football authorities that the death of the former England player was caused by him heading the ball throughout his career.

CTE is a progressive brain condition traditionally associated with boxers.

Last year's study assessed the medical records of 7,676 men who played professional football in Scotland between 1900 and 1976. Their records were matched against more than 23,000 individuals from the general population.

Experts found the “risk ranged from a five-fold increase in Alzheimer’s disease, through an approximately four-fold increase in motor neurone disease, to a two-fold Parkinson’s disease in former professional footballers compared to population controls”.