Albion to wear 1968 FA Cup final kit to honour Jeff Astle

The club have earmarked the occasion as 'Jeff Astle Day' with the late former striker's family using the event to launch the Jeff Astle Foundation.

But the kit change in the biggest coup for Albion officials with the Premier League sanctioning a one-off change for just the second time in its history.

The only previous occasion saw Manchester United don retro kit for the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster.

The family of Astle, who scored the winning goal against Everton in the 1968 final is to set up a charitable foundation in his name.

He died in 2002, aged just 59, from a brain condition normally linked to boxing.

The foundation will aim to help sportspeople and their families affected by similar conditions.

A coroner ruled Astle's brain had been damaged as a result of heading heavy leather footballs throughout his career.

He was originally diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease, but a re-examination of his brain found he had died from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – a progressive degeneration caused by repeated head trauma.

Astle's daughter Dawn said: "The foundation will have three aims – to promote independent research, to educate people and to help all those suffering from brain injuries in sport."

Club captain Darren Fletcher said: "I have only been at the club a very short time but I am already aware of the presence of Jeff Astle.

"As club captain it will be a great honour to lead the team out that day.

"The research is important for my generation but even more important for generations to come."

And Baggies chairman Jeremy Peace added: "We pledged this day to the Astle family and we wanted to make it as special as possible.

"We thought 'wouldn't it be amazing if we could wear the 1968 FA Cup final kit one more time?'

"It is the kit still synonymous with Jeff and his famous goal at Wembley.

"To our great delight the Premier League have approved it.

"It's the real deal – no names, no brands, just numbers and the traditional throstle crest.

"It'll be a day when the family of West Bromwich Albion come together to honour a true legend."