R.I.P Gordon Banks.

[Chippy_Tea]

I know football is not everyone's cup of tea but Banks was a top class player back in the day when money was not the only motive for playing the game.
If you don't like football please don't comment.




Regarded as one of the game's greatest in his position, Banks was named Fifa goalkeeper of the year six times and earned 73 caps for England.

He is perhaps best known for his wonder save from Pele during the 1970 World Cupagainst Brazil.

Born in Sheffield, he won the League Cup with Stoke and Leicester, before retiring in 1973.

"It is with great sadness that we announce that Gordon passed away peacefully overnight," his family said.

"We are devastated to lose him but we have so many happy memories and could not have been more proud of him."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47196017

 

[Ajhutch]

Before my time but the breadth of tributes have been telling about what a great player and lovely man he was. 2 brilliant stories that I hadn’t seen until today:

1. Banks is laughing after that save from Pele because Bobby Moore has just joked that he must be getting old because he used to catch those.

2. He missed the 1970 quarter final because he was ill and there was no live TV feed in Mexico, so he was watching at the hotel on delay. England were 2-0 up on his tv when the team arrived home to tell him to pack his bags as Germany had won 3-2 in extra time.

 

[DavieC]

Stoke City legend, he made Stoke on Trent his home and was involved in many charity fundraising things around the city (as is Lou Macari) He was known to be a very down to earth man,who had time for anyone who met him,wherever it was,he'll be sadly missed around the potteries.

 

[dad_of_jon]

Great chap. An amazing keeper possibly the first celeb keeper..

Well as far as I can remember!

 

[Banbeer]

I supported Stoke as a youngster because of Gordon Banks, sad to hear of his demise R.I.P.

 

[DavieC]

All this week on BBC Radio Stoke tributes for Gordon Banks have been flooding in, people sharing and recounting tales of when they met the only English goal keeper in history to have lifted the world cup as part of the winning team.
The overwhelming theme to all of these meetings and encounters where that Mr Banks was a very modest and pleasant man who would happily chat about the world cup win, the weather, the price of butter or his gravity defying 'that save' against Brasil in world cup1970, whatever you wanted to chat about.
We have a 'corridor'pub called The Coachmakers Arms in Hanley(Stoke on trent is made up of six towns and Hanley is the main city centre)renowned for great real Ales, It is one of only 4 such corridor pubs left in England and is untouched in terms of originality, open fires,tiny snug (in which you have to talk to whoever is in there because you are standing next to them shoulders touching),bar and ladies lounge,all off the central corridort.A few years ago the local council decided to knock it down in order to build some shops, however Gordon Banks,who used to pop in for the odd pint with his son helped in the campaign to 'save The Coachmakers',raising awareness and publicizing the campaign by putting his name to it. Thankfully it was saved from demolition and is still serving great pints of bass and various craft Ale..helped with another great save from the worlds greatest goal keeper,however what is apparent was that his humanity and humility were in equal measure to his greatness.
I wonder if any of todays over payed super stars will display the same common touch, years after ,as Gordon Banks always did?
RIP.