Baggies pay tribute to Astle

Former West Brom star Astle died on Saturday

Jason Roberts led the tributes to West Brom legend Jeff Astle at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

Roberts devoted his winner against Walsall to Astle, who died on Saturday.

Astle, 59, was taken to the Queen's Hospital in Burton-on-Trent after collapsing suddenly at his daughter's home and died shortly afterwards.

I don't think it is cheap to say he [Astle] was a legend at West Brom

John Wile
West Brom chief executive

Roberts strengthened West Brom's Division One promotion hopes by scoring the only goal of the game against Walsall at a subdued Hawthorns.

He celebrated by lifting his shirt to reveal a T-shirt bearing Astle's face.

Baggies manager Gary Megson said: "It was a nice gesture. I didn't know Jason was wearing a T-shirt bearing Jeff's face."

Astle won five England caps and played up front for his country at the 1970 World Cup.

He hit 137 goals in 292 league appearances for the Baggies and scored the extra-time winner in their 1968 FA Cup final win over Everton.

He regained fame in the 1990s by making regular appearances on the Fantasy League television programme.

West Brom chief executive John Wile, a former team-mate of Astle, said: "He was a fantastic player and a great guy. He will be sorely missed.

Roberts (left) devoted his winner to Astle

"It was a laugh a minute in the dressing room. He always made light of the situation and was always ready to join in any mickey-taking that was going around.

"The nice thing about Jeff was that he was a very humble fellow.

"After he finished playing, he didn't think football owed him a living. He got on with things and made a new life."

Wile said that Astle would go down in history as one of West Brom's greatest players.

"He was a master of his art. He was also pretty useful on the ground and had a superb strike rate.

"I have never seen anyone head the ball like it. He was magnificent.

"I don't think it is cheap to say he was a legend at West Brom.

Former England captain Alan Mullery, who played alongside Astle at the 1970 World Cup, said: "Sir Alf Ramsey said the squad in 1970 was better than the team that won the World Cup in 1966, so it just shows you how good a player Jeff was.

"He was a legend at West Brom and they loved him."

West Brom fans laid scarves and flowers at the goal

BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Adrian Chiles, a lifelong Baggies fan, said: "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 stood still the moment we heard he was gone.

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