VIDEO: Frank Skinner's memories of Jeff Astle

But the Baggies icon's most famous moment truly sent a tingle through the Black Country comedian's body.

Skinner will be at the Hawthorns this afternoon to witness the memory of his boyhood hero stir emotions among those who watched him play and a whole new generation of fans.

But for Skinner, Astle and excitement have always gone hand in hand – not least when the former centre-forward won the FA Cup for his side at Wembley in 1968.

"This will be emotional, of course, but 1968 was a bit special," said Skinner, who was raised in Oldbury admiring Astle from the terraces.

"I watched it on our black and white telly at home, and after he scored I remember going up and kissing Jeff on the telly.

"I didn't know about static electricity in those days and a very weird experience went right through my face. It sent a shock through me, certainly!

"I was 11 when we won the Cup and I couldn't get a ticket. It was hard and I don't know if I could have afforded one.

"I had just started going. I went to my first game in December 1967, so when we won the Cup that season I thought 'this is going to be great, we're going to win a trophy every year'.

"It didn't quite work out like that. As an 11-year-old, he was the name on my 'rough book' at school. They used to sell little blue, plastic stars with the players on and I always had the Jeff Astle one.

"I had the Jeff Astle cap and rosette and I had a picture of him on my wall. And it wasn't just me.

"There were several really good players in that team, but the big goalscoring centre forward in those days was always the one that you loved."

In later life, fate would bring Skinner and Astle together for real when the comedian's 1990s hit show Fantasy Football League took him to the ex-striker's Derbyshire home.

It was a moment of hero worship that Skinner approached with a degree of trepidation after idolising Astle as a boy.

But such was the impact natural footballing showman Astle made on Skinner that he handed the former forward a regular singing slot on the programme.

"I remember when I got to know him he lived up to all my expectations," said Skinner.

"He always used to tell jokes and stories and he used to punctuate it with a dig in the ribs with every punchline.

"And he wasn't really a man who knew his own strength, as centre-halves would testify, so I've had a few elbows from Jeff Astle that went unpenalised!

"I used to end up black and blue. We had filmed what was supposed to be a one-off thing with him because to a lot of ex-footballers it didn't come naturally to do jokes and learn lines.

"But he loved it and that was when we got the idea.

"He'd had a single out, Sweet Water, and he'd sung on the England World Cup album, so we thought 'let's get him on to sing at the end'. So he became part of the team."

It was towards the end of Astle's time on Fantasy Football League that signs of his illness began to know.

It's known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), known commonly as 'boxer's' brain,' although Skinner did not understand the significance at the time.

Now, after the dangers of heading footballs was highlighted by Astle's family, Skinner has agreed to be a patron of the Jeff Astle Foundation.

That will be launched today to help raise awareness of the condition that claimed his life.

"He was protected by Laraine, his wife, so I didn't really see him at his worst," said Skinner.

"Towards the end of his time on Fantasy Football, I remember taking the mickey out of him for forgetting things.

"He couldn't remember the National Anthem lyrics, but then a lot of people can't, so we just laughed about it because he was very quick to take the mickey out of me when I got anything wrong.

"But looking back now, all those things make sense, but it wasn't until afterwards that I realised the significance of them.

"I have kept in touch with the family since Jeff died and Claire, his daughter, asked me to be a patron and I couldn't say no because the family have been absolutely heroic about it.

"At first people weren't sure about it, but they have been so determined and been so passionate about it that they have made it happen by being really brilliant.

"I think people feel they have to have patrons but the Astle family is all about what the family have done.

"I think they would like to help footballers of Jeff's generation, and maybe a bit older and younger, who have had similar problems.

"Now it is more likely to be recognised, and what to do about it is more likely to be recognised, and they want to spread the word so people are more aware of the dangers.

"What they want is something is something positive to come out of all the bad stuff."

The family's tireless efforts were set to come to fruition today, with the current Baggies side wearing a replica of the 1968 FA Cup Final kit as part of a day of celebrations.

"The kit will always mean a lot to Albion fans," said Skinner. "It's going to be brilliant to see them in the kit.

"You can absolutely guarantee tears. People who have never seen Jeff play for Albion have seen all these grey-haired blokes like me patting the Astle Gates when we walk past.

"They know how special it is."