Astle's heading ability led to death, says coroner

Throughout a 20-year professional soccer career Jeff Astle’s trademark was his powerful headed goals but this ultimately killed him, a coroner ruled today.

An inquest heard that the West Bromwich Albion and England striker died from a degenerative brain disease caused by the constant heading of a heavy, and often wet, leather football.

The Astle family have always maintained that Jeff’s death was caused by repeatedly striking a football with his head.

Today they said that with the coroner’s verdict of death by industrial disease they had “justice“.

The 59-year-old, who played for England five times, died in January at the Queen’s Hospital, Burton, after collapsing at his daughter’s home.

Dr Derek Robson, a consultant neurological pathologist, said there was evidence of brain injury consistent with “repeated minor trauma“.