POTTERS SALUTE LEGEND BANKS
Tributes pour in for England keeper
STOKE City have led the tributes to England’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 81 after a long-term battle with cancer.
Banks spent six years with the Potters in the late 60s to early 70s, winning the League Cup in 1972. It’s still their only major honour.
He made Stoke-on-Trent his home and until recently watched games at the bet365 Stadium. He had been club president since 2000.
Stoke chairman Peter Coates said: “Gordon was an iconic figure not only in English football but across the globe and it’s deeply sad that we have lost him.
“It’s not just people of my generation who know how good a goalkeeper he was – people of all ages talked about Gordon reverentially. He was outstanding and it was an absolute privilege to watch him playing for Stoke City.
“He was also a keen advocate for our city, which he made his adopted home, and he will be sadly missed by local people from all walks of life, not just football fans.”
Current Potters goalkeeper Jack Butland also paid his own tribute to Banks, who he had got to know in recent years.
“He had a way of bringing happiness and anyone who knew Gordon will tell you, first and foremost, what a great person he was, what a gentleman he was and how he had this knack of making people happy,” said the 25-year-old England international.
Inspiration
As for being an inspiration, Butland replied: “Massively so. I obviously wasn’t around in 1966 or the Pele save four years later but to get to know him over the last few years, to be allowed into his house and have him take me through his medal collection, I’ve had a special connection.
“I’m extremely sad but he was fighting a horrible illness that he tackled like he did with everything in football. It’s a shame that we’ve lost a great of English football.”
Born in Sheffield in 1937, Banks started out with Chesterfield before moving to Leicester in 1959. He spent eight years with the Foxes and then joined Stoke.
He played 73 times for England between 1963 and 1972, famously helping the Three Lions win the World Cup on home soil in ’66.
He made that save from Pele in the World Cup in Mexico in 1970 and was named FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year on six occasions.
Sadly, a car crash in 1972 cost him the sight in his right eye, though he later played for two seasons in the United States with Fort Lauderdale Strikers. He also had a brief spell as Telford United manager.
Many leading football figures were quick to pay homage once news of Banks’ death became public.
Manchester United and England legend Sir Bobby Charlton said: “Gordon was a fantastic goalkeeper, without doubt one of the best England has ever had. I was proud to call him a team-mate. Obviously we shared that great day in 1966 but it was more than that.
“Even though I was on the pitch and have seen it many times since, I still don’t know how he saved that header from Pele!”
Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, who replaced Banks at Leicester, tweeted: “I’m devastated - today I’ve lost my hero.”
And Brazilian great Pele also added his own message.
“Rest in peace, my friend,” he said. “Yes, you were a goalkeeper with magic. But you were also so much more. You were a fine human being.”