Gordon Banks
Encyclopedia
Gordon Banks, OBE
(born 30 December 1937) is a retired English football goalkeeper. The IFFHS
named Banks the second best goalkeeper of the 20th century – after Lev Yashin
(1st) and ahead of Dino Zoff
(3rd).
Banks was a member of the England national team
that won the 1966 World Cup
. In March 2004 Pelé
listed Banks as one of the 125 greatest living footballers
. His most famous moment occurred in the 1970 World Cup
against Brazil, where he pulled off a stunning save from a goalbound header from Pelé, which is often regarded as arguably the greatest save ever. Banks' consistent performances in goal led to the re-wording of a common English idiom to "Safe as the Banks of England".
, was a careful student of goalkeepers during childhood. Banks played in local colliery
football as a boy and was offered an apprenticeship
by Chesterfield
after initially going to work as a coal bagger and then as a bricklayer
on leaving school. After performances in the youth and A teams gained him promotion to the reserves, Banks was posted to Germany with the Royal Signals on National service
, winning the Rhine Cup with his regimental team. On his return he was offered a full-time contract by the Chesterfield manager, Teddy Davison
.
He reached the two-legged final of the FA Youth Cup
with Chesterfield in 1956, losing 4–3 on aggregate to the Manchester United
team of the famous Busby Babes
. He made his debut for the first team at home in November 1958 against Colchester United in the newly formed Third Division. He played just 23 games for the club before First Division Leicester City
offered Chesterfield £7,000 in the summer of 1959.
In 1961, Leicester City beat Sheffield United to reach the FA Cup
final at Wembley, the first of three they would manage that decade. Their opponents were Tottenham Hotspur
, who were a cut above everyone else having won the First Division
title with ease and style. Banks played well, but with the right back Len Chalmers carrying an injury, was powerless to prevent second half goals from Bobby Smith and Terry Dyson
giving Spurs a 2–0 win and the first "double" of the 20th century.
At the time, Ron Springett
was the goalkeeper for England, but after the 1962 World Cup in Chile, a new coach was appointed in former England right back Alf Ramsey
. Ramsey demanded sole control of team and began looking towards the next World Cup. He knew that he just needed to find a squad for the final stages as England were hosting the event and didn't need to undergo a qualifying campaign. In goal, Banks was checked out by Ramsey for the first time in April 1963 against Scotland
at Wembley. Though England lost 2–1, Banks gained plaudits and Ramsey was pleased with his performance. He played in 13 of the next 15 internationals, including a 1–1 draw against Brazil.
Meanwhile, at club level, Banks was chasing the double. On 16 April 1963, an astonishing game at Filbert Street against Manchester United, which saw both Ken Keyworth
and Denis Law
score a hat-trick each, ended in a 4–3 victory for Leicester, which meant Leicester sat top of the First Division
and 11 days later Banks put in one of the performances of his career to keep out Liverpool as Leicester beat them 1–0 in the FA Cup semi-final despite being completely outplayed all game. However, Leicester became injury struck and nervous and gained only one point from their last 5 games, with Banks himself missing the final 3 games of the season through injury and eventually fell to a disappointing 4th place in the league. While in the FA Cup final against Manchester United, United were looking for their first trophy since the Munich air disaster
of five years earlier which had claimed the lives of eight of the Busby Babes whom Banks had faced as an adolescent. Banks failed to hold a Bobby Charlton
shot from distance which gave a chance to David Herd
. After that things got worse for England's newest keeper, when Denis Law
wrong-footed Banks with a smart shot on the turn to put United 2–0 ahead. After Leicester had pulled one back through a diving header from Ken Keyworth
, Banks leapt high in the air to claim a high cross from Johnny Giles
, only to drop the ball at Herd's feet. Herd scored his second to conclude Leicester's 3–1 defeat at the hands of the team they had beaten just a month earlier. The 1962–63 season would be the closest Banks would ever get to winning either the league or the FA Cup in his career.
In 1964, Banks finally won his first major trophy though when Leicester beat Stoke City
4–3 in the League Cup
final over two legs, though they lost the trophy a year later after a 3–2 defeat by Chelsea
on aggregate in the final.
When the World Cup began, Banks was in goal as England got through their group containing Uruguay
, Mexico
and France
, drawing 0–0 with the former and clinching 2–0 victories over the latter. Banks was not greatly tested, but it was hugely encouraging that he emerged from the group with three clean sheets from three games, a trend that continued when England beat a physical Argentina
side 1–0 in the last eight, with Geoff Hurst
scoring with a header.
Bobby Charlton
scored twice in the semi final against Portugal
before a late penalty was conceded by Jack Charlton
handling the ball. Banks was finally beaten after 43 minutes when Eusébio
put away the spot kick to his right. That said, England had won 2–1 and were in the final, where West Germany
awaited.
It was England who dominated the final but it was Banks who was beaten first. A weak header from Ray Wilson handed a chance to Helmut Haller
whose shot was not fierce but was on target and needed dealing with. Banks thought Jack Charlton was going to clear; Charlton in turn thought Banks had it covered. Neither went for it as a result, and the ball crept in the corner. England equalised through a Geoff Hurst header within six minutes and went ahead late in the second half through Martin Peters
.
Banks had little to do during the second half but his known powers of concentration were required when Jack Charlton gave away a dubious free kick 30 yards from goal. Banks duly organised a defensive wall and got into position. Lothar Emmerich
slammed the ball into the wall, the ball ricocheted across goal and Banks struggled to follow it across his six yard box, such was the speed and unpredictability of its movement as it took deflections and swipes. Ultimately German defender Wolfgang Weber
reached it at the far post and swept it into the net with Banks diving in vain to get his palms to the ball. The final whistle went seconds later to send the game into extra time.
England took the lead in extra time with that hotly debated second goal from Hurst. Banks was not troubled again until the final minute, when he saved a shot from Siggy Held and moments later could only watch as Uwe Seeler lunged for the ball and missed. Hurst then scored his hat-trick goal and the game was over. Banks had 33 England caps and was a world champion. But his career at club level was shortly to take an interesting and unexpected turn.
, who was given his debut as a 17-year-old in 1966. It was clear that Shilton was something special, yet the man he had to displace was now regarded as the world's number one goalkeeper. When Shilton told Leicester he would not sign a professional contract unless he was guaranteed first team football, Banks found himself available for transfer, just a year after winning the World Cup.
Banks joined Stoke City and maintained his England place, while Shilton lost in Leicester's third FA Cup final of the 1960s (the 1969 game against Manchester City
) and began to make his name. Ramsey gave the odd chance to Chelsea keeper Peter Bonetti
, Everton
's Gordon West
and Manchester United's Alex Stepney
, but when the big games came along, it was only Banks. During this time, Banks moved to Madeley, Staffordshire
. Iin 1967 Banks played a season for the Cleveland Stokers
of the American United Soccer Association
; this was a short lived attempt to build a first division U.S. league by importing clubs from around the world to play as U.S. teams. Stoke City, with Banks, came to the U.S. where it played in Cleveland, Ohio.
England reached the last four of the 1968 European Championships where they lost to Yugoslavia
in Florence
. A year later, Banks picked up his 50th cap as England defeated Scotland 4–1 at Wembley. He played in nine more internationals prior to the start of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, for which England once again had not needed to qualify, this time owing to their status as holders.
Banks, who discovered just after arriving in Mexico that he had been awarded the OBE
, played his 60th England game in the opening group victory over Romania
before taking to the field for the keenly-awaited clash with Brazil
. After just ten minutes, Banks wrote himself into football folklore.
Playing at pace, Brazil were putting England under enormous pressure and an attack was begun by captain Carlos Alberto
who sent a fizzing low ball down the right flank for the speedy Jairzinho
to latch on to. The Brazilian winger sped past left back Terry Cooper and reached the byline. Stretching slightly, he managed to get his toes underneath the fast ball and deliver a high but dipping cross towards the far post. Banks, like all goalkeepers reliant on positional sensibility, had been at the near post and suddenly had to turn on his heels and follow the ball to its back post destination.
Waiting for the ball was Pelé
, who had arrived at speed and with perfect timing. He leapt hard at the ball above England right back Tommy Wright and thundered a harsh, pacy downward header towards Banks' near post corner. The striker shouted "Goal!" as he connected with the ball. Banks was still making his way across the line from Jairzinho's cross and in the split-second of assessment the incident allowed, it seemed impossible for him to get to the ball. He also had to dive slightly backwards and down at the same time which is almost physically impossible. Yet he hurled himself downwards and backwards and got the base of his thumb to the ball, with the momentum sending him cascading to the ground. It was only when he heard the applause and praise of captain Bobby Moore
and then looked up and saw the ball trundling towards the advertising hoardings at the far corner, that he realised he'd managed to divert the ball over the bar – he'd known he got a touch but still assumed the ball had gone in. England were not being well received by the locals after cutting comments made about Mexico prior to the tournament by Ramsey, but spontaneous applause rang around the Guadalajara, Jalisco
stadium as Banks got back into position to defend the resulting corner. Pelé, who'd begun to celebrate a goal when he headed the ball, would later describe the save as the greatest he'd ever seen. He commented; "I score more than 1,000 goals in my life, but the goal I don't score they remember."
Banks would later describe the save as the thing he would remain best known for. “It's something that people will always remember me for,” he said in 2005. "They won’t remember me for winning the World Cup, it’ll be for that save. That’s how big a thing it is. People just want to talk about that save.”
Brazil still won the game 1–0 – Jairzinho guided a shot past Banks in the second half – but England missed chances to get something, with Jeff Astle
putting the ball wide of an open goal and Alan Ball
striking the crossbar. England ultimately joined Brazil in the last eight after a win in the final group game against Czechoslovakia
. The reward was a rematch of the 1966 final against West Germany.
was summoned to take his place. The overheard remark by Ramsey after Banks' absence from the game was confirmed as: "Of all the players to lose, we had to lose him."
Bonetti played fine for an hour and England went into a commanding 2–0 lead, with Peters scoring against the Germans again after Alan Mullery
had put the defending champions ahead. Franz Beckenbauer
then hit a low shot under the body of Bonetti, who had been slow to react. Beckenbauer would later claim that he would not have scored had Banks been the goalkeeper.
The Germans had hope now, especially when Beckenbauer became more liberated in the game with Ramsey's decision to substitute Bobby Charlton. In the last ten minutes, veteran striker Uwe Seeler looped a back header over Bonetti to take the game into extra time; then Gerd Müller
smashed home the winner in the added period.
Conspiracies
began to surface that Banks had been "nobbled" by someone in England's hotel and that his food had been somehow spiked. This was dismissed by Banks, who watched the game on his hotel TV and saw England go 2–0 ahead. After another visit to the bathroom, he returned to his bed and, feeling rough and sleepy, switched off his TV set to take a nap, assuming the match was won. He was woken by his second understudy, Stepney, who came to his room to signal the devastating final score with his fingers. West Germany had beaten England 3–2.
at Wembley. This would be a sign of things to come, but not for a little while. Banks would play in ten of the next 12 internationals as England tried to qualify for the 1972 European Championships but lost yet again to West Germany prior to the finals stage. During this period, Banks was also involved in a notorious incident with Manchester United's George Best
who, while playing against England for Northern Ireland
, flicked the ball out of Banks' hands and headed it into the net as the protesting goalkeeper chased him. The goal was disallowed for ungentlemanly conduct and England won 1–0, but Banks was left feeling rather embarrassed.
At club level, Banks came up with his second most famous save when spectacularly palming a vicious penalty from his England team-mate Hurst over the crossbar as Stoke defeated West Ham United
in the semi final of the 1972 League Cup. Banks duly reached his third League Cup final and won it for the second time, when Stoke beat Chelsea 2–1 at Wembley. Having lost two FA Cup finals, Banks' attempts to be luckier with Stoke in the competition fell agonisingly short as Arsenal
beat them in the semi finals of both the 1971 and 1972 competitions.
Banks played his 73rd England game in a 1–0 win over Scotland at Hampden Park
on 27 May 1972 and was awarded the Football Writers' Association Footballer Of The Year
honour. He was 34-years-old and at the peak of his abilities and powers. He began the next season with Stoke in his usual unflappable manner, but then his top-flight career would be suddenly and violently brought to an end.
was an obvious barrier to maintaining his goalkeeping livelihood, and announced his retirement from playing on 8 August 1973.
Shilton became England's number one and was also signed by Stoke City shortly afterwards from Leicester City (ironically the same club Stoke had bought Banks from) to take over from Banks in goal at the Victoria Ground
.
Banks went into scouting, managed non-league side Telford United
and did some work on the commercial side of football. In April 1977 he went to play as a named superstar in the NASL
for Fort Lauderdale Strikers alongside his old nemesis Best. After that 1977 season, the ever-present Banks was voted Best Goalkeeper in the NASL. He then had a short stint with League of Ireland
side St. Patrick's Athletic F.C.; he played just the once – a home game at Richmond Park on 2 October 1977 against Shamrock Rovers, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 win – before returning to the Strikers for the North American 1978 season. That season would prove to be his last. He played 11 league games before hanging up his gloves. His final appearance was a 2–3 defeat away to local rivals Tampa Bay Rowdies on 17 June 1978, in which Rodney Marsh
scored all three for the home team. Banks later began a business which distributed tickets for big events to corporate clients, but this fell into a mini-scandal when he received a restricted ban on getting tickets for the FA Cup final after some attributed to his company fell into the wrong hands. In December 1978 he was appointed as a coach at Port Vale
, being demoted to reserve coach in October 1978 as the team struggled, before being dismissed in 1979.
Banks met his wife Ursula while on national service
in Germany during the mid 1950s and they married after he returned to England. They have three children; Robert (born 1958), Wendy (born 1963) and Julia (born 1969).
He now lives in quiet retirement in Staffordshire
but is still regarded, as a Channel 4
poll to find England's greatest XI showed recently, as the best goalkeeper England has ever produced. Banks was an Inaugural Inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame
in 2002. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Keele University
in February 2006.
In 2001 Banks sold his World Cup Winners medal at Christie's auction house in London. The medal sold for £124,750, exceeding the initial estimate of £90,000. Banks said the decision to sell was difficult – the 4–2 cup final victory over West Germany at Wembley was the greatest day of his career. But the former Leicester and Stoke City keeper wanted to save his children the burden of deciding what to do with the medal after his death. The proceeds of the medal were divided between them. Banks's international cap from the same match was also sold in the same aution. It sold for £27,025.
In 2002 Banks published his autobiography, Banksy: My Autobiography (Michael Joseph Ltd). In the book, he describes the shots he failed to save as well as those he did.
Banks made a speech to an attendant crowd as to how thrilled he was to be given this honour.
The plaque is made of bronze, and is a star set in a circle with a blue background, and the words "SHEFFIELD LEGEND" GORDON BANKS OBE. FOOTBALLER.
In March 2011, he was also inducted into the City of Stoke-on-Trent Hall of Fame, along with Roy Sproson
.
, Northern Ireland, at the height of the troubles and was a schoolboy witness to the tragic events of Bloody Sunday
, 30 January 1972. In his moving tribute to Banks he claims that his English hero was one of the reasons why he never choose the path of violence. Banks launched Mullan's book in Dublin, Derry and at the Britannia Stadium in Stoke in the Summer of 2006 and has described Mullan as 'my greatest fan'. GORDON BANKS: A Hero Who Could Fly was optioned by BBC Drama.
Mullan was actively involved in the scheme to create the first monument to a goalkeeper in the Western World with the assistance of Banks' legendary teammate Terry Conroy
and emerging local sculptor Andrew Edwards. Inspired by Mullan's book, Edwards named the monument A Hero Who Could Fly and used the following quote from the Irish author on the monument:
... we lived in an era when sporting heroes
were ordinary and unassuming men
whose very modesty
was the oxygen of dreams.
And across the water, on a neighbouring island
with whom we Irish had been at war for centuries
I had a hero who could fly.
His name is GORDON BANKS.
From being a timid, fearful young boy
he taught me that impossible doesn't exist.
Unknown to him he helped save a young fan
from making choices that had brought
too much sorrow and sadness
to Irish and British alike.
Who knows? Perhaps it was his best save ever.
The 1st phase of the monument was unveiled by Pelé and Archbishop Desmond Tutu on 12 July 2008.
Since then Mullan and Edwards have travelled to Flanders and the site of the World War One Christmas Truce and the legendary football game between British and German soldiers. The visit inspired Edwards, with Mullan's support, to modify his original design. Originally the second phase was to feature two diving figures of Banks. Now, however, it will feature both Banks and the great German goalkeeper, Bert Trautmann (Manchester City), who was Banks' boyhood hero. The monument will also feature a young boy holding a scrapbook as he looks at the two giant figures. At once it is an Irish boy and his English hero, and an English boy and his German hero. It is Edwards' and Mullan's hope that the monument will be a demonstration of how sport can reach across great political chasms and help heal the hurts of history. The 2nd Phase of the monument project will be completed at Madeley High School, Staffordshire, in the community where Banks now resides.
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Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 30 December 1937) is a retired English football goalkeeper. The IFFHS
International Federation of Football History & Statistics
The International Federation of Football History & Statistics is an organization that chronicles the history and records of Association football. It was founded on 27 March 1984 at Leipzig by Dr. Alfredo Pöge with the blessings of general secretary of the FIFA at the time, Dr. Helmut Käser...
named Banks the second best goalkeeper of the 20th century – after Lev Yashin
Lev Yashin
Lev Ivanovich Yashin nicknamed as "The Black Spider", was a Soviet-Russian football goalkeeper, considered by many to be the greatest goalkeeper in the history of the game. He was known for his superior athleticism in goal, imposing stature, amazing reflex saves and inventing the idea of...
(1st) and ahead of Dino Zoff
Dino Zoff
Dino Zoff is an Italian former football goalkeeper and is the oldest winner ever of the World Cup, which he earned as captain of the Italian team in the 1982 tournament in Spain, at the age of 40 years, 4 months and 13 days.Zoff was a goalkeeper of outstanding ability and has a place in the...
(3rd).
Banks was a member of the England national team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
that won the 1966 World Cup
1966 FIFA World Cup
The 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from 11 July to 30 July. England beat West Germany 4–2 in the final, winning the World Cup for the first time, so becoming the first host to win the tournament since Italy in 1934.-Host selection:England was chosen as...
. In March 2004 Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
listed Banks as one of the 125 greatest living footballers
FIFA 100
The FIFA 100 is a list of the world-renowned Brazilian striker Pelé's choice of the "greatest living footballers". Unveiled on 4 March 2004 at a gala ceremony in London, the FIFA 100 marked part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Fédération Internationale de...
. His most famous moment occurred in the 1970 World Cup
1970 FIFA World Cup
The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from 31 May to 21 June. The 1970 tournament was the first World Cup hosted in North America, and the first held outside South America and Europe. In a match-up of two-time World Cup champions, the final was won by...
against Brazil, where he pulled off a stunning save from a goalbound header from Pelé, which is often regarded as arguably the greatest save ever. Banks' consistent performances in goal led to the re-wording of a common English idiom to "Safe as the Banks of England".
Early years
Banks, born in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, was a careful student of goalkeepers during childhood. Banks played in local colliery
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
football as a boy and was offered an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
by Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
after initially going to work as a coal bagger and then as a bricklayer
Bricklayer
A bricklayer or mason is a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork. The term also refers to personnel who use blocks to construct blockwork walls and other forms of masonry. In British and Australian English, a bricklayer is colloquially known as a "brickie".The training of a trade in...
on leaving school. After performances in the youth and A teams gained him promotion to the reserves, Banks was posted to Germany with the Royal Signals on National service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
, winning the Rhine Cup with his regimental team. On his return he was offered a full-time contract by the Chesterfield manager, Teddy Davison
Teddy Davison
Teddy Davison was an English footballer and manager who had a long and successful association with the football clubs of Sheffield, playing for Sheffield Wednesday for 18 years and later managing Sheffield United for 20 years. His fairness and diplomacy earned him the nicknames of "The George...
.
He reached the two-legged final of the FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
with Chesterfield in 1956, losing 4–3 on aggregate to the Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
team of the famous Busby Babes
Matt Busby
Sir Alexander Matthew "Matt" Busby, CBE, KCSG was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Manchester United between 1945 and 1969 and again for the second half of the 1970–1971 season...
. He made his debut for the first team at home in November 1958 against Colchester United in the newly formed Third Division. He played just 23 games for the club before First Division Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
offered Chesterfield £7,000 in the summer of 1959.
Cup finals with Leicester and becoming England's number one (1959–1966)
Banks' career started to rise rapidly from this point. After four games for the reserves, he replaced the injured Dave McLaren for his Leicester City debut in a 1–1 draw against Blackpool on 9 September 1959 and retained his place for the 2–0 defeat against Newcastle 3 days later. With McLaren fit again, Banks was sent back to the reserves but, after the first team conceded 14 goals in the next 5 games, he was recalled and became the first-choice goalie for the remainder of the season.In 1961, Leicester City beat Sheffield United to reach the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
final at Wembley, the first of three they would manage that decade. Their opponents were Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, who were a cut above everyone else having won the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
title with ease and style. Banks played well, but with the right back Len Chalmers carrying an injury, was powerless to prevent second half goals from Bobby Smith and Terry Dyson
Terry Dyson
Terry Dyson is a retired footballer.- Career:The winger joined Tottenham Hotspur from non-league Scarborough in 1955, and played for Spurs until 1965. He was a regular member of The Double winning side of 1960-61, and scored in the 1961 FA Cup Final against Leicester...
giving Spurs a 2–0 win and the first "double" of the 20th century.
At the time, Ron Springett
Ron Springett
Ronald "Ron" Deryk George Springett was a football goalkeeper for Sheffield Wednesday, QPR and England.-Career:Springett made 33 appearances for England, then the most by any Sheffield Wednesday player. He held this record for 26 years. He made his England debut against Northern Ireland in 1959...
was the goalkeeper for England, but after the 1962 World Cup in Chile, a new coach was appointed in former England right back Alf Ramsey
Alf Ramsey
Sir Alfred Ernest "Alf" Ramsey was an English footballer and manager of the English national football team from 1963 to 1974. His greatest achievement was winning the 1966 World Cup with England on 30 July 1966...
. Ramsey demanded sole control of team and began looking towards the next World Cup. He knew that he just needed to find a squad for the final stages as England were hosting the event and didn't need to undergo a qualifying campaign. In goal, Banks was checked out by Ramsey for the first time in April 1963 against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
at Wembley. Though England lost 2–1, Banks gained plaudits and Ramsey was pleased with his performance. He played in 13 of the next 15 internationals, including a 1–1 draw against Brazil.
Meanwhile, at club level, Banks was chasing the double. On 16 April 1963, an astonishing game at Filbert Street against Manchester United, which saw both Ken Keyworth
Ken Keyworth
Ken Keyworth was a professional footballer in the 1950s and 1960s who played for Rotherham United, Coventry City and Swindon Town and most notably Leicester City....
and Denis Law
Denis Law
Denis Law is a retired Scottish football player, who enjoyed a long and successful career as a striker from the 1950s to the 1970s....
score a hat-trick each, ended in a 4–3 victory for Leicester, which meant Leicester sat top of the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
and 11 days later Banks put in one of the performances of his career to keep out Liverpool as Leicester beat them 1–0 in the FA Cup semi-final despite being completely outplayed all game. However, Leicester became injury struck and nervous and gained only one point from their last 5 games, with Banks himself missing the final 3 games of the season through injury and eventually fell to a disappointing 4th place in the league. While in the FA Cup final against Manchester United, United were looking for their first trophy since the Munich air disaster
Munich air disaster
The Munich air disaster occurred on 6 February 1958, when British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany. On board the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the "Busby Babes",...
of five years earlier which had claimed the lives of eight of the Busby Babes whom Banks had faced as an adolescent. Banks failed to hold a Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton CBE is an English former professional football player, a member of the England team who won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or for European Footballer of the Year in 1966...
shot from distance which gave a chance to David Herd
David Herd (footballer)
David George Herd is a Scottish former international association footballer. His regular position was as a forward where he was a consistent goal scorer.-Family:...
. After that things got worse for England's newest keeper, when Denis Law
Denis Law
Denis Law is a retired Scottish football player, who enjoyed a long and successful career as a striker from the 1950s to the 1970s....
wrong-footed Banks with a smart shot on the turn to put United 2–0 ahead. After Leicester had pulled one back through a diving header from Ken Keyworth
Ken Keyworth
Ken Keyworth was a professional footballer in the 1950s and 1960s who played for Rotherham United, Coventry City and Swindon Town and most notably Leicester City....
, Banks leapt high in the air to claim a high cross from Johnny Giles
Johnny Giles
Michael John "Johnny" Giles is a former association footballer and manager best remembered for his time as a midfielder with Leeds United in the 1960s and 1970s...
, only to drop the ball at Herd's feet. Herd scored his second to conclude Leicester's 3–1 defeat at the hands of the team they had beaten just a month earlier. The 1962–63 season would be the closest Banks would ever get to winning either the league or the FA Cup in his career.
In 1964, Banks finally won his first major trophy though when Leicester beat Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
4–3 in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
final over two legs, though they lost the trophy a year later after a 3–2 defeat by Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
on aggregate in the final.
The 1966 World Cup
By 1965, Banks was indisputably the first-choice England goalkeeper. He was settling into the form of his life which would last for the next seven years; agile and alert, he was frequently seen making amazing reflex saves and possessed flawless positional sense and reading of attackers' movements and instincts.When the World Cup began, Banks was in goal as England got through their group containing Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
, Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
and France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
, drawing 0–0 with the former and clinching 2–0 victories over the latter. Banks was not greatly tested, but it was hugely encouraging that he emerged from the group with three clean sheets from three games, a trend that continued when England beat a physical Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
side 1–0 in the last eight, with Geoff Hurst
Geoff Hurst
Sir Geoffrey Charles Hurst MBE is a retired England footballer best remembered for his years with West Ham. He made his mark in World Cup history as the only player to have scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final. His three goals came in the 1966 final for England in their 4–2 win over West...
scoring with a header.
Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton CBE is an English former professional football player, a member of the England team who won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or for European Footballer of the Year in 1966...
scored twice in the semi final against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
before a late penalty was conceded by Jack Charlton
Jack Charlton
John "Jack" Charlton, OBE, DL is a former footballer and manager who played for Leeds United in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and was part of the England team who won the 1966 World Cup...
handling the ball. Banks was finally beaten after 43 minutes when Eusébio
Eusébio
Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, GCIH, GCM , commonly known simply as Eusébio, is a retired Mozambican-born Portuguese football forward. He is considered one of the best footballers of all-time by the IFFHS, experts and fans...
put away the spot kick to his right. That said, England had won 2–1 and were in the final, where West Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
awaited.
It was England who dominated the final but it was Banks who was beaten first. A weak header from Ray Wilson handed a chance to Helmut Haller
Helmut Haller
Helmut Haller is a former footballer who represented West Germany at three World Cups.A playmaker and striker who made his international debut at age 19 in 1958, he played at the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile, the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England and the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico, earning a total...
whose shot was not fierce but was on target and needed dealing with. Banks thought Jack Charlton was going to clear; Charlton in turn thought Banks had it covered. Neither went for it as a result, and the ball crept in the corner. England equalised through a Geoff Hurst header within six minutes and went ahead late in the second half through Martin Peters
Martin Peters
Martin Stanford Peters, MBE is a former football player and member of the victorious England team which won the 1966 World Cup as well as playing in the 1970 FIFA World Cup....
.
Banks had little to do during the second half but his known powers of concentration were required when Jack Charlton gave away a dubious free kick 30 yards from goal. Banks duly organised a defensive wall and got into position. Lothar Emmerich
Lothar Emmerich
Lothar Emmerich was a German football player. He was born in Dortmund-Dorstfeld and died in Hemer.-Honours:* 1965 German Cup winner...
slammed the ball into the wall, the ball ricocheted across goal and Banks struggled to follow it across his six yard box, such was the speed and unpredictability of its movement as it took deflections and swipes. Ultimately German defender Wolfgang Weber
Wolfgang Weber
Wolfgang Weber was a footballer best remembered for scoring the last-minute equaliser for West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final....
reached it at the far post and swept it into the net with Banks diving in vain to get his palms to the ball. The final whistle went seconds later to send the game into extra time.
England took the lead in extra time with that hotly debated second goal from Hurst. Banks was not troubled again until the final minute, when he saved a shot from Siggy Held and moments later could only watch as Uwe Seeler lunged for the ball and missed. Hurst then scored his hat-trick goal and the game was over. Banks had 33 England caps and was a world champion. But his career at club level was shortly to take an interesting and unexpected turn.
1966–1970
Coming through the ranks at Leicester City was a young local goalkeeper called Peter ShiltonPeter Shilton
Peter Leslie Shilton OBE is a former English footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He currently holds the record for playing more games for England than anyone else, earning 125 caps....
, who was given his debut as a 17-year-old in 1966. It was clear that Shilton was something special, yet the man he had to displace was now regarded as the world's number one goalkeeper. When Shilton told Leicester he would not sign a professional contract unless he was guaranteed first team football, Banks found himself available for transfer, just a year after winning the World Cup.
Banks joined Stoke City and maintained his England place, while Shilton lost in Leicester's third FA Cup final of the 1960s (the 1969 game against Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
) and began to make his name. Ramsey gave the odd chance to Chelsea keeper Peter Bonetti
Peter Bonetti
Peter Phillip Bonetti is a former football goalkeeper for Chelsea, the St. Louis Stars, Dundee United and England. Bonetti was known for his safe handling, lightning reflexes and his graceful style, for which he was given the nickname, "The Cat"...
, Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
's Gordon West
Gordon West
Gordon West is an English former professional football goalkeeper.-Blackpool:He made his debut for Blackpool at the age of 17...
and Manchester United's Alex Stepney
Alex Stepney
Alexander Cyril "Alex" Stepney is a former English football player who was Manchester United's goalkeeper when they became the first English club to win the European Cup.-London beginnings:...
, but when the big games came along, it was only Banks. During this time, Banks moved to Madeley, Staffordshire
Madeley, Staffordshire
Madeley is a village and ward in the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme, North Staffordshire, England. It is split into three parts: Madeley, Middle Madeley, and Little Madeley. Madeley Heath is also considered by many to be part of Madeley...
. Iin 1967 Banks played a season for the Cleveland Stokers
Cleveland Stokers
The Cleveland Stokers were a soccer team based out of Cleveland, Ohio that played in the United Soccer Association during 1967 and the North American Soccer League in 1968. Their home field was Cleveland Stadium....
of the American United Soccer Association
United Soccer Association
The United Soccer Association is a former professional soccer league featuring teams from the United States and Canada. The league survived only one season before merging with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. All the teams in the league were imported...
; this was a short lived attempt to build a first division U.S. league by importing clubs from around the world to play as U.S. teams. Stoke City, with Banks, came to the U.S. where it played in Cleveland, Ohio.
England reached the last four of the 1968 European Championships where they lost to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. A year later, Banks picked up his 50th cap as England defeated Scotland 4–1 at Wembley. He played in nine more internationals prior to the start of the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, for which England once again had not needed to qualify, this time owing to their status as holders.
Banks, who discovered just after arriving in Mexico that he had been awarded the OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, played his 60th England game in the opening group victory over Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
before taking to the field for the keenly-awaited clash with Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
. After just ten minutes, Banks wrote himself into football folklore.
The 1970 save against Pelé
Carlos Alberto Torres
Carlos Alberto Torres is a former Brazilian footballer, one of the most highly regarded defenders of all time. He captained Brazil to victory in the 1970 World Cup and is a member of the World Team of the 20th Century, as well as the U.S...
who sent a fizzing low ball down the right flank for the speedy Jairzinho
Jairzinho
Jair Ventura Filho, better known as Jairzinho , is a former association footballer. A quick, powerful forward or winger, he was a member of the legendary Brazilian national team that won the 1970 FIFA World Cup, during which he scored in every game Brazil played...
to latch on to. The Brazilian winger sped past left back Terry Cooper and reached the byline. Stretching slightly, he managed to get his toes underneath the fast ball and deliver a high but dipping cross towards the far post. Banks, like all goalkeepers reliant on positional sensibility, had been at the near post and suddenly had to turn on his heels and follow the ball to its back post destination.
Waiting for the ball was Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
, who had arrived at speed and with perfect timing. He leapt hard at the ball above England right back Tommy Wright and thundered a harsh, pacy downward header towards Banks' near post corner. The striker shouted "Goal!" as he connected with the ball. Banks was still making his way across the line from Jairzinho's cross and in the split-second of assessment the incident allowed, it seemed impossible for him to get to the ball. He also had to dive slightly backwards and down at the same time which is almost physically impossible. Yet he hurled himself downwards and backwards and got the base of his thumb to the ball, with the momentum sending him cascading to the ground. It was only when he heard the applause and praise of captain Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore
Robert Frederick Chelsea "Bobby" Moore, OBE was an English footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years and was captain of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup...
and then looked up and saw the ball trundling towards the advertising hoardings at the far corner, that he realised he'd managed to divert the ball over the bar – he'd known he got a touch but still assumed the ball had gone in. England were not being well received by the locals after cutting comments made about Mexico prior to the tournament by Ramsey, but spontaneous applause rang around the Guadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara is the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of Jalisco in the western-pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,564,514 it is Mexico's second most populous municipality...
stadium as Banks got back into position to defend the resulting corner. Pelé, who'd begun to celebrate a goal when he headed the ball, would later describe the save as the greatest he'd ever seen. He commented; "I score more than 1,000 goals in my life, but the goal I don't score they remember."
Banks would later describe the save as the thing he would remain best known for. “It's something that people will always remember me for,” he said in 2005. "They won’t remember me for winning the World Cup, it’ll be for that save. That’s how big a thing it is. People just want to talk about that save.”
Brazil still won the game 1–0 – Jairzinho guided a shot past Banks in the second half – but England missed chances to get something, with Jeff Astle
Jeff Astle
Jeffrey "The King" Astle was an English footballer. He played 361 games for West Bromwich Albion, scoring 174 goals, and was one of the most iconic players in the history of the club...
putting the ball wide of an open goal and Alan Ball
Alan Ball (footballer)
Alan James Ball, Jr., MBE was a professional English footballer and football club manager.He was the youngest member of England's 1966 World Cup winning team and played for various clubs, scoring more than 180 league goals in a career spanning 22 years...
striking the crossbar. England ultimately joined Brazil in the last eight after a win in the final group game against Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
. The reward was a rematch of the 1966 final against West Germany.
England vs West Germany 1970
The day before the game Banks and England's hopes of making further inroads into the World Cup were dented when he started to complain of an upset stomach. He subsequently spent long periods in the bathroom and despite rest and medication, he did not seem to be recovering in time. But on the day of the game, he offered a glimmer of hope to Ramsey when he said he felt better and asked for a fitness test. He caught a few balls and did some short sprints but something was not right and Ramsey decided he couldn't risk him. Peter BonettiPeter Bonetti
Peter Phillip Bonetti is a former football goalkeeper for Chelsea, the St. Louis Stars, Dundee United and England. Bonetti was known for his safe handling, lightning reflexes and his graceful style, for which he was given the nickname, "The Cat"...
was summoned to take his place. The overheard remark by Ramsey after Banks' absence from the game was confirmed as: "Of all the players to lose, we had to lose him."
Bonetti played fine for an hour and England went into a commanding 2–0 lead, with Peters scoring against the Germans again after Alan Mullery
Alan Mullery
Alan Patrick Mullery MBE is a former English football player and manager. After enjoying a successful career with Fulham and in the 1960s and 1970s, he became a manager working with several different clubs. He is now employed as a television pundit...
had put the defending champions ahead. Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Anton Beckenbauer is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed Der Kaiser because of his elegant style, his leadership, his first name "Franz" , and his dominance on the football pitch...
then hit a low shot under the body of Bonetti, who had been slow to react. Beckenbauer would later claim that he would not have scored had Banks been the goalkeeper.
The Germans had hope now, especially when Beckenbauer became more liberated in the game with Ramsey's decision to substitute Bobby Charlton. In the last ten minutes, veteran striker Uwe Seeler looped a back header over Bonetti to take the game into extra time; then Gerd Müller
Gerd Müller
Gerhard "Gerd" Müller is a former German football player and one of the most prolific goalscorers of all time.With national records of 68 goals in 62 international appearances, 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games and the international record of 66 goals in 74 European Club games, he was one of the...
smashed home the winner in the added period.
Conspiracies
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
began to surface that Banks had been "nobbled" by someone in England's hotel and that his food had been somehow spiked. This was dismissed by Banks, who watched the game on his hotel TV and saw England go 2–0 ahead. After another visit to the bathroom, he returned to his bed and, feeling rough and sleepy, switched off his TV set to take a nap, assuming the match was won. He was woken by his second understudy, Stepney, who came to his room to signal the devastating final score with his fingers. West Germany had beaten England 3–2.
England's No.1 (1970–1972)
Banks did not play in England's first game after the World Cup, with Ramsey electing to give his old understudy Shilton a debut against East GermanyEast Germany national football team
The East Germany national football team was from 1952 to 1990 the football team of East Germany, playing as one of three post-war German teams, along with Saarland and West Germany....
at Wembley. This would be a sign of things to come, but not for a little while. Banks would play in ten of the next 12 internationals as England tried to qualify for the 1972 European Championships but lost yet again to West Germany prior to the finals stage. During this period, Banks was also involved in a notorious incident with Manchester United's George Best
George Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
who, while playing against England for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
, flicked the ball out of Banks' hands and headed it into the net as the protesting goalkeeper chased him. The goal was disallowed for ungentlemanly conduct and England won 1–0, but Banks was left feeling rather embarrassed.
At club level, Banks came up with his second most famous save when spectacularly palming a vicious penalty from his England team-mate Hurst over the crossbar as Stoke defeated West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
in the semi final of the 1972 League Cup. Banks duly reached his third League Cup final and won it for the second time, when Stoke beat Chelsea 2–1 at Wembley. Having lost two FA Cup finals, Banks' attempts to be luckier with Stoke in the competition fell agonisingly short as Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
beat them in the semi finals of both the 1971 and 1972 competitions.
Banks played his 73rd England game in a 1–0 win over Scotland at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
on 27 May 1972 and was awarded the Football Writers' Association Footballer Of The Year
Football Writers' Association
The Football Writers' Association is an association of England football journalists and correspondents writing for newspapers and agencies, founded in 1947....
honour. He was 34-years-old and at the peak of his abilities and powers. He began the next season with Stoke in his usual unflappable manner, but then his top-flight career would be suddenly and violently brought to an end.
Injury and retirement
On 22 October 1972, while driving home from a session with the Stoke physiotherapist, Banks lost control of his car which ended up in a ditch. He lost consciousness and was rushed to hospital. When he came round, he was informed that though he had not suffered any life-threatening injury, he had lost the sight in his right eye. He considered trying to resume his career as a goalkeeper but even he had to accept that the loss of binocular visionBinocular vision
Binocular vision is vision in which both eyes are used together. The word binocular comes from two Latin roots, bini for double, and oculus for eye. Having two eyes confers at least four advantages over having one. First, it gives a creature a spare eye in case one is damaged. Second, it gives a...
was an obvious barrier to maintaining his goalkeeping livelihood, and announced his retirement from playing on 8 August 1973.
Shilton became England's number one and was also signed by Stoke City shortly afterwards from Leicester City (ironically the same club Stoke had bought Banks from) to take over from Banks in goal at the Victoria Ground
Victoria Ground
Victoria Ground may refer to:*Victoria Ground, the former name of Hartlepool United’s ground Victoria Park.*Victoria Ground, Stoke City’s ground from 1878 to 1997.*Victoria Ground, current home of Bromsgrove Rovers...
.
Banks went into scouting, managed non-league side Telford United
Telford United F.C.
Telford United F.C. was an English football club based in Telford, Shropshire.The club existed under various names for a total of 132 years from its formation in 1872. The club was founder members of the Alliance Premier League in 1979 and played at this level for 25 years before being wound up in...
and did some work on the commercial side of football. In April 1977 he went to play as a named superstar in the NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
for Fort Lauderdale Strikers alongside his old nemesis Best. After that 1977 season, the ever-present Banks was voted Best Goalkeeper in the NASL. He then had a short stint with League of Ireland
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
side St. Patrick's Athletic F.C.; he played just the once – a home game at Richmond Park on 2 October 1977 against Shamrock Rovers, keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 win – before returning to the Strikers for the North American 1978 season. That season would prove to be his last. He played 11 league games before hanging up his gloves. His final appearance was a 2–3 defeat away to local rivals Tampa Bay Rowdies on 17 June 1978, in which Rodney Marsh
Rodney Marsh (footballer)
Rodney William Marsh is an English retired footballer. He was named after HMS Rodney by his father, who served on the battleship. He played for Fulham, Queens Park Rangers, Manchester City, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the England national team. Lately, he has been a pundit and a commentator on the...
scored all three for the home team. Banks later began a business which distributed tickets for big events to corporate clients, but this fell into a mini-scandal when he received a restricted ban on getting tickets for the FA Cup final after some attributed to his company fell into the wrong hands. In December 1978 he was appointed as a coach at Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
, being demoted to reserve coach in October 1978 as the team struggled, before being dismissed in 1979.
Banks met his wife Ursula while on national service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
in Germany during the mid 1950s and they married after he returned to England. They have three children; Robert (born 1958), Wendy (born 1963) and Julia (born 1969).
He now lives in quiet retirement in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
but is still regarded, as a Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
poll to find England's greatest XI showed recently, as the best goalkeeper England has ever produced. Banks was an Inaugural Inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame
English Football Hall of Fame
The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum, currently being relocated to Manchester, England. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of the all-time top English footballing talents, as well as non-English players and managers who have become...
in 2002. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from Keele University
Keele University
Keele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...
in February 2006.
In 2001 Banks sold his World Cup Winners medal at Christie's auction house in London. The medal sold for £124,750, exceeding the initial estimate of £90,000. Banks said the decision to sell was difficult – the 4–2 cup final victory over West Germany at Wembley was the greatest day of his career. But the former Leicester and Stoke City keeper wanted to save his children the burden of deciding what to do with the medal after his death. The proceeds of the medal were divided between them. Banks's international cap from the same match was also sold in the same aution. It sold for £27,025.
In 2002 Banks published his autobiography, Banksy: My Autobiography (Michael Joseph Ltd). In the book, he describes the shots he failed to save as well as those he did.
Sheffield Walk of Fame
On Tuesday 9 May 2006, Banks was the first "legend" to be inducted into a new Walk of Fame, by having a plaque installed in the pavement in front of the Town Hall.Banks made a speech to an attendant crowd as to how thrilled he was to be given this honour.
The plaque is made of bronze, and is a star set in a circle with a blue background, and the words "SHEFFIELD LEGEND" GORDON BANKS OBE. FOOTBALLER.
In March 2011, he was also inducted into the City of Stoke-on-Trent Hall of Fame, along with Roy Sproson
Roy Sproson
Roy Sproson was an English footballer and football manager for Port Vale. A one-club man, he holds the all-time appearance record for Vale, making 837 starts for Vale between 1950 and 1972. This includes a run of 128 consecutive appearances between April 1954 and March 1957...
.
Gordon Banks: A Hero Who Could Fly
Best-selling Irish investigative author, Don Mullan, published a boyhood memoir in 2006 called GORDON BANKS: A Hero Who Could Fly in which he wrote about the influence of the England goalkeeper on his life. Mullan discovered at the age of 8 that he was dyslexic, but he had learned to read and write through a giant 500-page scrapbook which he began compiling shortly after seeing Banks play in the 1966 World Cup Final. The Irish author grew up in the famous Republican stronghold of the Creggan Estate, DerryDerry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Northern Ireland, at the height of the troubles and was a schoolboy witness to the tragic events of Bloody Sunday
Bloody Sunday (1972)
Bloody Sunday —sometimes called the Bogside Massacre—was an incident on 30 January 1972 in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland, in which twenty-six unarmed civil rights protesters and bystanders were shot by soldiers of the British Army...
, 30 January 1972. In his moving tribute to Banks he claims that his English hero was one of the reasons why he never choose the path of violence. Banks launched Mullan's book in Dublin, Derry and at the Britannia Stadium in Stoke in the Summer of 2006 and has described Mullan as 'my greatest fan'. GORDON BANKS: A Hero Who Could Fly was optioned by BBC Drama.
Mullan was actively involved in the scheme to create the first monument to a goalkeeper in the Western World with the assistance of Banks' legendary teammate Terry Conroy
Terry Conroy
Terry Conroy is a former professional footballer, who spent most of his career with Stoke City.-Stoke City:He joined the Potters from the Irish club, Glentoran for £10,000 in March 1967. He went on to make 333 Cup and League appearances for Stoke, scoring 66 goals...
and emerging local sculptor Andrew Edwards. Inspired by Mullan's book, Edwards named the monument A Hero Who Could Fly and used the following quote from the Irish author on the monument:
... we lived in an era when sporting heroes
were ordinary and unassuming men
whose very modesty
was the oxygen of dreams.
And across the water, on a neighbouring island
with whom we Irish had been at war for centuries
I had a hero who could fly.
His name is GORDON BANKS.
From being a timid, fearful young boy
he taught me that impossible doesn't exist.
Unknown to him he helped save a young fan
from making choices that had brought
too much sorrow and sadness
to Irish and British alike.
Who knows? Perhaps it was his best save ever.
The 1st phase of the monument was unveiled by Pelé and Archbishop Desmond Tutu on 12 July 2008.
Since then Mullan and Edwards have travelled to Flanders and the site of the World War One Christmas Truce and the legendary football game between British and German soldiers. The visit inspired Edwards, with Mullan's support, to modify his original design. Originally the second phase was to feature two diving figures of Banks. Now, however, it will feature both Banks and the great German goalkeeper, Bert Trautmann (Manchester City), who was Banks' boyhood hero. The monument will also feature a young boy holding a scrapbook as he looks at the two giant figures. At once it is an Irish boy and his English hero, and an English boy and his German hero. It is Edwards' and Mullan's hope that the monument will be a demonstration of how sport can reach across great political chasms and help heal the hurts of history. The 2nd Phase of the monument project will be completed at Madeley High School, Staffordshire, in the community where Banks now resides.
International
- 1966 FIFA World Cup1966 FIFA World CupThe 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from 11 July to 30 July. England beat West Germany 4–2 in the final, winning the World Cup for the first time, so becoming the first host to win the tournament since Italy in 1934.-Host selection:England was chosen as...
- British Home ChampionshipBritish Home ChampionshipThe British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
(8, 2 shared): 19641964 British Home ChampionshipThe 1964 British Home Championship international Home Nations football tournament was an unusual affair in which victory was shared between the England, Scotland and Ireland national football teams after all teams scored four points by beating Wales and then winning one and losing one of their...
(shared), 19651965 British Home ChampionshipThe 1965 British Home Championship was an outright victory for the English football team in the run up to the 1966 FIFA World Cup which was held in the country...
, 19661966 British Home ChampionshipThe 1966 British Home Championship was a cause of great excitement as it supplied spectators and commentators a view of England prior to their contesting the football 1966 FIFA World Cup on home soil at which they were one of the favourites...
, 19681968 British Home ChampionshipThe 1968 British Home Championship football was the final stage of the 1968 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying for the Home Nations, and provided revenge for an England team smarting from a defeat on their home ground to the Scots just months after winning the 1966 FIFA World Cup which...
, 19691969 British Home ChampionshipThe 1969 British Home Championship was the third edition of the tournament to be held whilst England were World Champions following their victory in the 1966 FIFA World Cup. The tournament was reverted back to its pre-First World War format, being played at the end of the season in a short period...
, 19701970 British Home ChampionshipThe 1970 British Home Championship Home Nations international football tournament was a heavily contested series which contradicted the common view that it would be little more than a warm-up for the English team prior to the 1970 FIFA World Cup, at which they were to defend the title they had won...
(shared), 19711971 British Home ChampionshipThe 1971 British Home Championship was an international football competition between the British Home Nations. the tournament was low-scoring affair, reflecting trends in world football at the time, which relied on heavy defense. England won the tournament in their final match by beating Scotland...
and 19721972 British Home ChampionshipThe 1972 British Home Championship was the first such Home Nations football tournament , to suffer during The Troubles in Northern Ireland, when death threats from the Provisional Irish Republican Army were sent to the Scottish Football Association and Scottish players who were scheduled to play at...
Leicester City
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- Runner-up 1961, 19631963 FA Cup FinalThe 1963 FA Cup Final was the final of the 1962–63 FA Cup, the 82nd season of England's premier club football competition. The match was played at Wembley Stadium on 25 May 1963 and contested by Manchester United and Leicester City. United won 3–1, with a goal from Denis Law and two from...
- Runner-up 1961, 1963
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
- Winner 19641964 Football League Cup FinalThe 1964 Football League Cup Final, the fourth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Stoke City and Leicester City, both of the First Division, over two legs...
- Runner-up 19651965 Football League Cup FinalThe 1965 Football League Cup Final, the fifth to be staged since the competition's inception, was contested between Leicester City and Chelsea over two legs. Leicester, the holders, were aiming to become the first side to retain the trophy while Chelsea were seeking to become the first London side...
- Winner 1964
Statistics
|-|1955–56
The Football League 1955-56
-Overview:The 1955–1956 season was the 57th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||rowspan="4"|Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
||rowspan="4"|Third Division North
Football League Third Division North
The Third Division North of The Football League was a tier in the English association football league system from 1921 to 1958. It ran parallel to Third Division South with clubs elected to the League or relegated from a higher division allocated to one or the other according to geographical position...
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|1956–57
The Football League 1956-57
-Overview:The 1956–1957 season was the 58th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
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|1957–58
The Football League 1957-58
-Overview:The 1957–1958 season was the 59th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
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|1958–59
The Football League 1958-59
-Overview:The 1958–1959 season was the 60th completed season of The Football League.This season saw the introduction of the Fourth Division.-Final league tables :...
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|1959–60
The Football League 1959-60
-Overview:The 1959–1960 season was the 61st completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||rowspan="8"|Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
||rowspan="8"|First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
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|1960–61
The Football League 1960-61
-Overview:The 1960–1961 season was the 62nd completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
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|1961–62
The Football League 1961-62
-Overview:The 1961–1962 season was the 63rd completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
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|1962–63
The Football League 1962-63
-Overview:The 1962–1963 season was the 64th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
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|1963–64
The Football League 1963-64
-Overview:The 1963–1964 season was the 64th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
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|1964–65
The Football League 1964-65
-Overview:The 1964–1965 season was the 65th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
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|1965–66
The Football League 1965-66
-Overview:The 1965–1966 season was the 66th completed season of The Football League.This season is notable for Liverpool winning the title with only 14 squad players.-Final league tables :...
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|1966–67
The Football League 1966-67
-Overview:The 1966–1967 season was the 67th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
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|1966–67
The Football League 1966-67
-Overview:The 1966–1967 season was the 67th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||rowspan="7"|Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
||rowspan="7"|First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
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|1967–68
The Football League 1967-68
-Overview:The 1967–1968 season was the 68th completed season of The Football League.- First Division :For the first time since 1937 Manchester City won the league title, finishing two points clear of their local rivals Manchester United. Fulham finished bottom of the league and were relegated along...
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|1968–69
The Football League 1968-69
-Overview:The 1968–1969 season was the 69th completed season of The Football League.- First Division :Leeds United won the League for the first time in their history, finishing six points ahead of Liverpool...
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|1969–70
The Football League 1969-70
The 1969–1970 season was the 70th completed season of The Football League.Everton won their seventh title, finishing nine points clear of Leeds United with Chelsea in third and newly promoted Derby County in fourth. Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland were both relegated.Huddersfield Town claimed...
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|1970–71
The Football League 1970-71
-Overview:The 1970–1971 season was the 71st completed season of The Football League.-First Division:Arsenal won the league championship at the home of their bitter rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, with Ray Kennedy scoring the winner. This would soon be followed by their FA Cup final tie with Liverpool...
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|1971–72
The Football League 1971-72
-Overview:The 1971–1972 season was the 72nd completed season of The Football League.-First Division:Brian Clough, 37, won the first major trophy of his managerial career by guiding Derby County to their first ever league championship. They overcame Leeds United to win a four-horse race also...
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|1972–73
The Football League 1972-73
-Overview:The 1972–1973 season was the 73rd completed season of The Football League.-First Division:Liverpool cruised to another championship triumph in Bill Shankly's penultimate season as manager despite competition from Arsenal, Leeds United, Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers.Manchester...
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|1977||rowspan="2"|Fort Lauderdale Strikers||rowspan="2"|NASL
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
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|1978||11||0||||||||
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External links
- The Official Website of England's greatest ever goalkeeper
- Banks @ Goalkeeping Greats
- Reunited: Gordon Banks & Jairzinho by Chris HuntChris HuntChris Hunt is a magazine editor, journalist and author. He has worked in journalism for over twenty years, most often writing about football or rock music. He was managing editor of Match from 1993 to 2001, a period that saw the weekly title become Britain's biggest selling football magazine...
, FourFourTwo, 2002 - BBC radio interview with Gordon Banks, 1999
- Gordon Banks at awards ceremony 2010