Shropshire Star

West Brom's new home kit modern version of '1960s classic' - WATCH

West Brom's new home kit for the upcoming Championship campaign is a nod to the 1960s classic worn by Jeff Astle and the club's FA Cup winning side.

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West Brom have unveiled their new home kit

Following releases of the away kits - Albion have unveiled their new home strip in partnership with The Jeff Astle Foundation, with the foundation's logo appearing on the shirt.

On Tuesday, it was announced that the kit would honour 'The King', with the club naming the foundation, set up in 2015, as the club's official charity partner for the 2023/24 season.

The Astle family collaborated with the club on the design and promotion of the new kit, with Jeff’s widow, Laraine, and grandson, Joseph, stars of the video launching the 2023/24 shirt, which is a modern take on the 1960s classic.

The heritage-engineered shirt includes a crew neck and short sleeves, with rib cuff navy blue detail, and is priced at £54.99 adults and £44.99 juniors, with shorts priced at £27.99 for adults, £22.99 for juniors, and socks are available for £14.99 - with a donation being made to the foundation for every shirt sold.

The club have also confirmed that as part of their commitment to sustainability, all kits are made of 100% recycled polyester, which is ethically sourced, fully traceable, and responsibly produced.

The kit has been unveiled in honour of Jeff Astle. The Astle Foundation logo appears on the shirt

The Astle Foundation was set up in 2015, to keep his legacy alive and raise awareness of brain injuries in sport, after it was found The King's death was caused by a degenerative brain disease from heading footballs.

Astle's daughter and foundation director, Dawn, said it was overwhelming for the foundation to be named the charity partner and have the new strip dedicated to her father, who scored 174 goals in 361 appearances making him the club’s fourth highest goal-scorer.

She said: “We are honoured and overwhelmed to be named the club’s Official Charity Partner for the 2023/24 season.

“Dad loved this club and its supporters and to have next season’s home kit dedicated to him and the charity instils our family with a pride that is difficult to comprehend.

"We are so, so thankful to the club for providing us with this opportunity to continue to celebrate dad’s legacy, raising awareness and funds for the charity in the process.

“As a family we have been fortunate enough to have been involved in the kit’s design and we are confident the club’s supporters will love it as much as we do.

"It’s a special kit for a really important cause, and every shirt sold will help us to continue our work with those affected by brain injuries in sport.”

Astle was a hero of the terraces during a captivating decade at The Hawthorns from 1964 to 1974, and the the stand-out moment in a glittering career came at Wembley in 1968 when he scored the only goal of the FA Cup final victory over Everton, also joining an exclusive club of players to have scored in every round of the famous competition.

Astle, who also claimed five England caps, enjoyed a yet-to-be-repeated relationship with the club’s supporters, which was never more prevalent than in the emotional response to his tragic passing at the age of 59 in January 2002.

His death from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive, degenerative brain disease found in individuals (usually athletes) with a history of head injury, often as a result of multiple concussions, led his family to campaign for greater research into the impact of repetitive heading for footballers.

On April 11, 2015, a date forever remembered as Astle Day by all at The Hawthorns, the family launched the Jeff Astle Foundation, which serves as a lasting legacy to Jeff, raising awareness of brain injury in all forms of sport, as well as offering much-needed support to those affected.

The charity has since gone from strength to strength and patrons include high profile former England internationals Gary Neville and Alan Shearer.

West Brom have unveiled their new home kit
West Brom have unveiled their new home kit
West Brom have unveiled their new home kit