Former England star Astle dies

Astle scored 16 goals in the 1968 FA Cup competition

Former West Bromich Albion and England striker Jeff Astle has died aged 59.

He was taken to the Queen's Hospital, Burton-on-Trent, after collapsing suddenly at his daughter's home on Saturday.

The cause of death is not yet known but there are no suspicious circumstances, said a Staffordshire Police spokeswoman.

Astle joined Albion from Notts County in 1964.

He was part of the substance of West Brom - it is a great loss

BBC Five Live's Adrian Chiles

He soon became one of the club's greatest players during his career at The Hawthorns, scoring 137 goals in 292 league appearances.

Astle scored a goal in every league game during Albion's FA Cup-winning season of 1968.

England career

And he netted the only goal of the game in extra time to defeat Everton in the final of the competition.

Astle won his first England international call-up in 1969 and was picked for the 1970 World Cup squad in Mexico.

But his name will live on as the striker who missed a chance to equalise against Brazil when he looked odds-on to score. Brazil won 1-0 and went on to lift the World Cup.

He played five times for England in all but did not score.

Astle won five England caps

BBC Radio Five Live presenter Adrian Chiles, a lifelong West Bromwich Albion fan, was shocked at the news.

He told the station: "He was what they call a natural goalscorer.

"In front of goal, he was one of those players who, nine times out of 10, it would be in the back of the net.

"For every West Bromwich Albion supporter in the world, the world stands still the moment we hear he's gone.

"He was a fixture at the club. He was there week-in, week-out. He was part of the substance of the club. It's a great loss."

Astle will also be remembered for his guest appearances on Frank Skinner and David Baddiel's Fantasy Football League TV programme.

At the end of each show Astle, dressed in various guises, would sing as the credits rolled.