Gordon Banks

Gordon Banks (30 December 1937 – 12 February 2019) was an English professional footballer who played in goal. He is considered one of the finest goalkeepers ever, with 679 appearances across a 20-year career. He earned 73 caps for England and played in every match of their 1966 World Cup triumph.

Banks began at Chesterfield in March 1953, playing for their youth team in the 1956 FA Youth Cup final. He made his senior debut in November 1958 and moved to Leicester City for £7,000 in July 1959. With Leicester, he played in four cup finals: losing the 1961 and 1963 FA Cup finals, winning the League Cup in 1964, and finishing as runners-up in 1965. Despite this success and his 1966 World Cup win, Leicester dropped him and sold him to Stoke City for £50,000 in April 1967. At the 1970 World Cup, he made a legendary save to deny Pelé a goal, but illness kept him out of England's quarter-final loss to West Germany.

Banks was Stoke's goalkeeper when they won the 1972 League Cup, the club's only major trophy. He remained first choice for both Stoke and England until a car crash in October 1972 cost him the sight in his right eye and ended his professional career. He later played two seasons in the United States for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 1977 and 1978. Despite having only one eye, he was named NASL Goalkeeper of the Year in 1977 for the league's best defensive record. He briefly managed Telford United before leaving football in December 1980.

Banks was named FWA Footballer of the Year in 1972 and FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year six times. The IFFHS ranked him the second-best goalkeeper of the 20th century, behind Lev Yashin.

Banks was born in Abbeydale, Sheffield, on 30 December 1937 and grew up in the working-class area of Tinsley. His family later moved to Catcliffe after his father opened a then-illegal betting shop. This brought more money but also tragedy: his disabled brother was mugged for the shop's takings and died from his injuries weeks later. Banks left school at 15 in December 1952 and worked as a bagger for a coal merchant, which built his upper-body strength. He played for amateur side Millspaugh after their regular goalkeeper didn't show up; the club's trainer, knowing Banks had played for Sheffield Schoolboys, asked him to go in goal. His performances earned him a game for Rawmarsh Welfare in the Yorkshire League, but after a 12–2 loss on debut and a 3–1 home defeat, he was dropped and returned to Millspaugh. Still 15, he then became a hod carrier.

While playing for Millspaugh, Banks was scouted by Chesterfield and given a six-game youth-team trial in March 1953. He impressed and signed a part-time £3-a-week contract in July 1953. The reserve team was placed in the Central League due to a powerful director, not merit, and Banks conceded 122 goals in the 1954–55 season as they finished last with three wins. He did national service with the Royal Signals in Germany, winning the Rhine Cup with his regimental team. After recovering from a fractured elbow, he helped Chesterfield's youth team reach the 1956 FA Youth Cup final, where they lost 4–3 on aggregate to Manchester United's "Busby Babes," including Wilf McGuinness and Bobby Charlton.

Manager Doug Livingstone gave Banks his first-team debut in November 1958, replacing long-serving Ron Powell for a Third Division match against Colchester United at Saltergate. It ended 2–2, and he kept his place for the next game against Norwich City. By the end of the 1958–59 season, he had missed only three games due to injury. With no goalkeeping coach, he learned from his mistakes and became a vocal goalkeeper who organised his defence. With just 23 league and three cup appearances, he was surprised when Leicester City manager Matt Gillies bought him for £7,000 in July 1959, raising his wages to £15 a week.

At Leicester, Banks competed with five other goalkeepers, including Scotland international Johnny Anderson and Dave MacLaren. He started the 1959–60 season as the reserve goalkeeper, effectively second choice behind MacLaren. After four reserve games, MacLaren got injured, and manager Gillies picked Banks for his Leicester debut against Blackpool at Filbert Street on 9 September. The match finished 1–1.

He kept his place for a 2–0 loss to Newcastle United three days later, but when MacLaren returned, Banks went back to the reserves. After the first team conceded 14 goals in five games, he was recalled and became first choice for the rest of the season. The defence struggled initially—he conceded six in a heavy loss to Everton—but he improved with each match, and Leicester finished a comfortable 12th. In training, he worked hard on weaknesses like catching crosses, putting in extra hours and creating his own practice drills.