Gordon Banks is an English former football goalkeeper, and a member of the victorious England World Cup 1966 Squad, hanks was born on 30th December 1937 in Sheffield. Banks was a keen student of goalkeeping from a young age and played local colliery football before being offered an apprenticeship by Chesterfield after he had initially been working as a coal bagger and then as a bricklayer. Banks quickly impressed in the youth team and was promoted to the reserves before a posting to Germany on National Service delayed his development. Upon his return he was given a professional contract by Chesterfield manager Teddy Davison. He eventually forced his way into the first team for the Third Division club a made just 23 appearances before First Division club Leicester City had a £7,000 offer accepted for the 22 year old in 1959.

It didn't take long for Banks to make a name for himself at Leicester, he made his debut against Blackpool on 9th September 1959, and by the end of his first season he had established himself as the clubs first choice goalkeeper. Just two years after his debut he was part of the team which reached Wembley for the 1961 FA Cup final, however they 2-0 lost to Tottenham Hotspur; this game was to be one of four domestic finals that Banks would play for Leicester during 1960's and it gave Spurs the first 'Double' of the 20th century. The next, in 1963, saw them lose an FA Cup final against Manchester United; Banks finally tasted success with Leicester defeated Stoke City 4-3 over two legs in the 1964 League Cup final. Banks and Leicester almost won the trophy for a second consecutive year in 1965 before losing the final to Chelsea 3-2 over two legs.

England & World Cup 1966

Alf Ramsey was appointed manager of the England national team in 1963 following an unsuccessful 1962 World Cup campaign in Chile, he immediately set about rebuilding the team and finding players to fit his unique tactical systems; he had declared shortly after landing the job that he would win the 1966 World Cup. Ron Springett had been England's first choice 'keeper for 1962 and Banks was not given his debut until April 1963 in a 2-1 defeat against Scotland. He went on to play 13 out of next 15 internationals and was considered the first choice England goalkeeper by 1965 and his form led to plaudits worldwide, Banks became famous for his agility and reflex saves. Ramsey named Banks in his 1966 World Cup Squad as one of three goalkeepers, with the others being Ron Springett and Peter Bonetti, and he started all three of the group games as England qualified for the quarter final not only undefeated but also without having conceded a goal. In the quarter final England kept yet another clean sheet in a 1-0 win over a physical Argentina side, the only goal being scored by the head of inexperienced striker Geoff Hurst. Banks and his defence almost managed to keep another clean sheet in the Semi-Final against Portugal before a late Jack Charlton handball gifted Portugal a penalty, which Eusebio converted to make the score 2-1; fortunately the goal proved irrelevant as England progressed to the final where they would face West Germany.

The 1966 World Cup final is one of footballs most famous ever games, and it was to be England that would dominate the game. Despite this domination it was West Germany who scored first following a mistake by left back Ray Wilson which presented a chance to Hermut Haller. Banks thought that Jack Charlton was going to clear whilst Charlton felt that Banks had it covered, as a result the ball crept slowly and agonisingly over the line. Thankfully England equalised just six minutes later through a Hurst header, and then a Martin Peters goal late in the second half made the score 2-1 to England. It looked like the game was England's before Jack Charlton again made a mistake in the dying seconds by giving away a cheap free kick about 30 yards out, which the Germans hit against the England wall. The ball deflected across the box and Banks dived desperately in vain to try and get his hands to the ball, unfortunately he was beaten to it by defender Wolfgang Weber who converted the chance to send the game into extra time. England took the lead again with Geoff Hurst's second goal of the game, and then wrapped the game up with Hurst's third and England's fourth to finish the game 4-2, Banks had little to do in extra time. Gordon Banks had become a world champion at the age of 28 and with 33 England caps to his name.

Banks was generally considered the world's greatest goalkeeper by the time he had lifted the world cup, however he was soon to be shocked and his career took a very unexpected turn when he was sold by Leicester in 1967 to be replaced by a 17 year old kid. That kid was Peter Shilton who had come through the ranks at Leicester as a youth player and was clearly exceptionally talented, he refused however to sign a professional contract with Leicester unless he was guaranteed to be playing regular first team football. Shilton made his debut for Leicester in 1966 and Banks was sold to Stoke City at the end of the 1966/67 season, where he played well enough to retain his place as England's first choice keeper. Oddly, Shilton went on to play in the USA for one year with the 'Cleveland Stokers' in 1967, who were in fact Stoke City being moved to America in a bizarre attempt to build an American league by literally importing foreign teams. Banks later played in the 1968 European Championships, where England finished in third place; subsequently making 10 further international appearances before the start of the 1970 World Cup.

England had no need to qualify for the 1970 Mexico World Cup due to their status as holders of the trophy, and a 32 year old Banks went into the competition as England's first choice goalkeeper. It was during the first group stage game against Brazil that Banks would further reaffirm himself as the worlds greatest goalkeeper. England were struggling to contain a pacy and skillful Brazilian team and the quick Jairzinho broke down the right flank, beat left back Terry Cooper for pace and delivered a high dipping cross to the far post. Banks had been at the near post and had to turn follow the ball to the back post. Arriving at the back post at speed and at the perfect time was Pele, the world's greatest striker, who landed a bullet header back towards the corner of the 'near post'. Pele shouted "Goal!" and had begun to celebrate, before Bank's astonishingly managed to keep the ball out from a seemingly impossible position. Banks had to dive backwards and down at the same time, just getting his thumb to the ball and pushing the ball over the bar. He had initially assumed that the ball had gone in, until he saw Bobby Moore celebrating and praising him, the Mexican crowd burst into applause despite some ill feeling towards England team following some comments by Alf Ramsey. The same was later described by Pele as the greatest save that he had ever seen in his career, and Banks himself said:

"They (people) 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" - Gordon Banks

England lost that game 1-0 but still qualified from the group to set up a re-match against fierce rivals West Germany, but Banks complained the day before the game of an upset stomach, he spent long periods in the bathroom throughout the night and looked like he wouldn't be able to start. On the day of the game however he announced that he felt better and requested a fitness test, however he subsequently failed it as Ramsey felt that something was still not right. It was left to deputy Peter Bonetti to start the game, just his 7th international appearance. Bonetti played well for the first 60 minutes of the game whilst England took a 2-0 lead with goals from Alan Mullery and Martin Peters, before Franz Beckenbaur hit a low shot which crept under the body of a slow reacting Bonetti; Beckenbaur later said that he would not have scored if Banks had been playing. Ramsey then took Bobby Charlton off, a poor tactical decision which further buoyed the Germans who scored 2 more goals to win the game 3-2.

Banks played in 10 of the next 13 Internationals following the World Cup as Englandtried unsuccessfully to qualify for the 1972 European Championships after again losing to West Germany; it was aroundthis time that Banks would make another very famous save when he palmed a thunderbolt penalty from international team-mate Geoff Hurst over the bar in a 1972 League Cup semi final against West Ham. Banks subsequently won his second League Cup winners medal in his third League Cup final when Stoke beat Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley. Banks also came agonisingly close to gaining an FA Cup winners medal, however Stoke lost semi finals to Arsenal in both 1971 and 1972. A 34 year old Banks played his 73rd Englandgame against Scotland at Hampden Park in a 1-0 win on 27th May 1972 and shortly after was named the Football Writers' Association Football Of The Year for 1972. Banks was considered to be at his peak and he began the following 1972/73 season in his usual dependable form for Stoke before his career was suddenly and cruelly ended.

Banks was driving home from an appointment with the Stoke City physiotherapist on 22nd October 1972 when he lost control of his car and crashed it into a ditch. He was rushed to hospital unconscious and, although he did not suffer any life threatening injuries, he lost the sight in his right eye. He considered playing on but was forced to accept that any possible effects of not having binocular vision could effect his strong reputation and undo his previous achievements. After playing he work for various clubs as a scout, managed Telford United, and did some football related commercial work. He finally made a playing comeback in April 1977 when he went to play in America for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and he was named as the Best Goalkeeper in the NASL at the end of that first season. He played a one-off game for Irish side St. Patrick's Athletic in October 1977 before returning to America for the 1978 season. That season would be his very last, playing 11 games with hist last being a 3-2 defeat against local rivals Tampa Bay Rowdies on June 17th 1978.

After a brief spell running a corporate tickets business, and a year as a coach at Port Vale, he finally retired and lives a quiet life with his wife Ursula. Banks sold his World Cup Winners medal at Christie's auction house in 2001 for £124,750 and his international cap from that game for £27,025. His reason for selling was that he didn't want to place the burden of deciding what to do with the medal on his children upon his death, and he shared the proceeds of that sale amongst them. Banks was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002, and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Keele University in February 2006. A monument to Banks is currently in the process of being erected at Stoke City's Britannia Stadium, the first half of which was unveiled by Pele and Archbishop Desmond Tutu on 12th July 2008. Banks was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1970.