‘If football has done this, I’ll make sure the world knows’
JeffAstle’s daughter recalls promise afterWest Brom hero’s death from early-onset dementia
AS his body lay in a chapel of rest 20 years ago, West Bromwich Albion legend Jeff Astle’s daughter Dawn made him a promise.
Astle had enjoyed a stellar footballing career with Notts County and West Brom, scoring the winning goal for the Baggies in the 1968 FA Cup final, and playing for England at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
However, in his mid-50s, he was diagnosed with early-onset dementia, and he died at the age of 59 on January 19, 2002, choking to death at a party to celebrate Dawn’s 34th birthday.
In life his rapid deterioration – described as being like “a juggernaut out of control” by his widow Laraine – was attributed to Alzheimer’s Disease.
During his illness, his family had their suspicions that his career in football had contributed to his death.
“We always thought, we always suspected, but we didn’t know,” Dawn Astle said. “One of the most horrendous things I did was to go to see him in the chapel of rest.
“I walked in and I’ve never walked so slowly in my life, because you can see the coffin in the room. My mum and I were howling, it was horrific. I remember I took his hand and said, ‘Dad, I promise you, if football has done this, I’ll make sure the whole world knows”.
Wife Laraine recalls first noticing something was not right when Astle was aged 54.
He had become a welcome and regular fixture singing songs on the Fantasy Football League TV programme presented by comedian Frank Skinner – an Albion fan – and David Baddiel.
But in filming the final series of the show, Laraine noticed Jeff finding it a particular struggle to learn the words of the songs, and where he needed to come in.
She also noticed a restlessness in him on a holiday in Ibiza, and pleaded with him to go to a GP. He reluctantly agreed, and underwent a series of tests. At the end of the consultation, Laraine made an excuse to go back in and see the GP alone.
“The GP said, ‘I’m going to send him for a scan, I think he’s got early-onset dementia”’ Laraine recalls.
“I walked out of there completely and utterly stunned. In the blink of an eye, in the seconds it took to tell me I knew my life had changed forever.”
Astle developed an eating disorder, and in his last months could not even remember the names of his children or grandchildren.
We always thought, we always suspected, but we didn’t know... Dawn Astle
“When (grandchildren) Taylor and Matthew came to see him his face lit up. I could see him struggling to remember their names,” Laraine said. “He just said, ‘It’s my beautiful girl and my bestest boy’.’’
In November 2002, just under 10 months after his death, coroner Andrew Haigh said Astle’s brain resembled that of a boxer. He recorded a verdict of death by industrial disease,
owing to Astle’s repeated heading of a ball.
“We thought that result would be a defining moment, and sport would react with vigour to protect future generations and help those past heroes who would die, with their families on their knees. We assumed incorrectly,” Dawn said.
A study looking at the link between exposure to head trauma and ‘boxer’s brain’ was initiated in 2001 by the Professional Footballers’ Association and the Football Association, but the family were devastated to learn in 2014 there were no plans to publish it.
Dawn describes that period between her father’s death and receiving that news as “12 wasted years”.