AT the inquest of Jeff Astle, the coroner ruled that his brain injuries had been caused by repeatedly heading the ball.

It appears that the English FA and the Scottish PFA are investigating why an unusual number of ex-players have degenerative brain diseases.

Among them were no fewer than seven members of the 1954 Port Vale team.

Why seven players from one club in particular, from the same era? Is this a coincidence? From the following information you can make up your own mind.

In 1950 Port Vale moved to a new venue at Burslem named Vale Park. In the 1960/61 season, I had an occasion to referee a league match at Port Vale.

Around 20 minutes prior to kick-off, the trainer 'Lol' Hamlett - ex Bolton Wanderers centre half - entered my room with the match ball. I checked it, returned it to him and asked for another one.

The reason being that it was saturated, apparently having spent considerable time in water, thus increasing its weight considerably to the point where it was well over the FA rule 'that the match ball has to be no more than 16ozs in weight at the start of a match.'

Coincidence or otherwise?

JWB (ex referee)

via e-mail

He also ruled that those injuries amounted to an industrial disease.

The weight of a football in the 50s and 60s increased from approx 15ozs to 2Ibs when saturated. It was stated that the average speed of a cross of a ball is 45mph, and that the force on the brain when heading it is equal to a house brick being swung from 6ft.