Gordon Taylor exit should see PFA overhaul, urges Dawn Astle
Daughter of former West Brom and England striker Jeff Astle feels let down by union's approach to dementia
Sunday 31 March 2019 19:26, UK
Gordon Taylor's departure from the PFA should prompt a complete overhaul, according to dementia campaigner Dawn Astle.
The PFA's long-serving chief executive announced last week he will stand down after an independent review into the union's governance is completed.
And Astle is urging for any successor to be someone with fresh ideas after being left frustrated by the lack of progress on dementia in footballers under Taylor's guidance.
Astle's father, former West Brom and England striker Jeff Astle, died from the illness in 2002 at the age of 59 with a coroner ruling his condition had been brought on by the repeated heading of footballs.
"Whoever takes over - I don't want someone from that old regime," Dawn Astle said. "I wouldn't want it to be someone who has been with him before.
"I would want somebody fresh, away from that regime, who will fight tooth and nail for these things that are really important, as a union should do.
"Is there anything more important than your job killing you? This is something that is killing former players.
"This is something that should have been at the top of the pile for them but there was nothing until we kicked up a fuss.
"He can say, 'We spoke to him and we spoke to him,' but that's lip service. What do you actually do that's meaningful? We couldn't find anything."
The PFA, in conjunction with the Football Association, did initiate a 10-year study into possible links between dementia and football in 2001.
However this research was halted prematurely around 2006 with Astle left angered this did not come to light until 2014 and fresh research then did not begin until 2018.
She added: "Gordon asked me once why I wasn't as angry with the FA. I said, 'Of course I'm angry with the FA but I'm more angry with you because I expected you, as my dad's union, to do more'.
"I have never said the PFA is a complete and utter waste of time. I know there has been great work. I know they have done some brilliant things but it could and should have done so much more.
"Yes it is commendable they started this research but what is not commendable, and is unforgivable, was this research stopped after five years.
"Then nobody had the decency or the good manners to actually tell us this had stopped.
"The original research failed and was put in a drawer. I think it would still be sat in a drawer now if we hadn't kicked up the fuss we did. 12 years were missed.
"If we hadn't caused this fuss would that research that started last year have been started?
"For me, no. It would still have been swept under the carpet. That's really why I am so angry with them."
