I HAVE two memories of former West Bromwich Albion and England striker Jeff Astle, both very significant in my football "education", writes PETER WHITE.

The first comes from1968 when Astle was a hero, scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Everton.

In contrast, the second came two years later when Astle was with England in Mexico for the World Cup finals.

All I can remember of the man at that great occasion was a "sitter" he missed - I think against Brazil in a group game.

That particular tournament was significant for me as the Brazilian side which beat Italy 4-1 in the final was probably the greatest football team I have ever seen.

So, why talk about Jeff Astle in the first place?

Well, it's cup final week and when Albion beat Everton 1-0 it was the first time I had been privileged to attend a Wembley final.

The problem with memories, particularly those involving statistics, is that they remind you how old you are.

This Saturday's clash between Chelsea and Middlesbrough will be the 30th since then.

And how things have changed.

No, not at the famous stadium which is still a nightmare compared to the swish Premiership stadia throughout the country.

It's the changing faces of the game itself, rather than just the 29 years which have elapsed, that makes Everton v West Brom seem so distant. In 1968, the only "foreigners" on the field were the likes of Albion's sturdy Glaswegian defender Doug Fraser, or his fellow-Scot Bobby Hope, a tricky, ball-playing box of tricks..

And for Everton, a foreigner meant non-Merseyside, such as Geordie Howard Kendall or Tyke Gordon West.

Virtually half the Everton side which walked out at Wembley that day were Scousers - a far cry from what we will witness this weekend.

Lining up in the blue corner we could well see Frode Grodas and Erland Johnsen (Norway), Roberto Di Matteo and Gianluca Vialli (Italy), Frank Leboeuf (France), Dan Petrescu (Romania) and, but for injury, Ruud Gullit (Holland).

In the red corner Emerson and Juninho will represent Brazil, Fabrizio Ravanelli and Gianluca Festa Italy, Mikkel Beck Denmark and, again but for injury, Mark Schwarzer Australia.

It's a far cry from the days when we tended to rely on the best of British, plus the Republic of Ireland, and the question has to be asked - has the huge influx of imports made THAT much difference?

With the notable exception of Juninho, the little genius who strived so hard to keep Middlesbrough in the Premiership, and possibly Ravanelli, the answer would have to be largely negative if you are talking about impact on English football's top flight

Looking back to the boys of '68 I'd take Tony Brown instead of Di Matteo, Joe Royle for Vialli, Brian Labone for Leboeuf and Ray Wilson for Petrescu. I haven't even mentioned Howard Kendall, Colin Harvey or Albion's John Talbut, a former Burnley central defender who would have given the likes of Beck a few bruises to remember him by if the pair had ever shared a pitch.

Having said all that, I'm still lookinmg forward to the Continental Cockneys against the Transient Teessiders.

Not least because it kicks off at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon.

How long before that changes too?

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