STOKE-ON-TRENT (REUTERS) - Crowds of mourning fans joined luminaries of English football for a final farewell on Monday (March 4) to Gordon Banks, a steelworker's son who became one of the world's greatest goalkeepers and will be remembered for his miraculous save against Pele.
Teammates from England's 1966 World Cup win and members of former clubs Stoke and Leicester came to join a cortege from the Stoke stadium to the funeral for Banks, who died aged 81 last month.
"He was so humble, honest to God, he didn't really understand what he had achieved in life and why people made such a fuss of him," friend Terry Conroy, who starred with Banks and scored in Stoke's 1972 League Cup win, told Reuters.
Banks was best known for the stunning one-handed save from a Pele bullet header that bounced awkwardly in front of him during England's group-stage game against Brazil at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
"With the luck of the gods, the angle at which I'd managed to lift that ball was perfect, and it ballooned in the air and over the bar," the genial Banks said in one of the many recountings begged by fans and the media.
Footage shows Banks chuckling afterwards, as England's Bobby Moore jokingly chides him for not catching the ball.
His achievements went far further than stopping Pele.
Â
Â
Â
Banks won 73 international caps, played nearly 500 times for Leicester and Stoke and won two League Cups, before a car crash blinded him in one eye.
He remained in Stoke, a former mining and pottery city, where he would watch games, attend charity events and take a weekly walk round Trentham Gardens.
"He donated his tie to a charity event I was involved in and we raised £200 (S$358.44). Such a gentleman," reminisced Phillip Steele, 76, next to a statue of Banks at the hilltop stadium decked in flags, scarves and flowers.
Favourite saves
Some 2,000 fans were at the stadium to watch proceedings on a big screen. Others lined the route of the funeral procession, which was to stop outside the old Victoria Ground where Banks plied his trade before ending at Stoke Minster for a religious service.
Goalkeepers Jack Butland, Joe Hart and Kasper Schmeichel were to be pall-bearers. Fellow World Cup winners Bobby Charlton and Geoff Hurst were also expected.
In a largely working-class city obsessed with football, Banks was viewed as a reminder of simpler days before the Premier League's mega-millions.
Everyone had their favourite save.
"Mine was a penalty he stopped against Geoff Hurst at Stoke's 1972 League Cup semi-final at West Ham," Conroy said. "If he hadn't saved that, we wouldn't have been in the final and won our first trophy in more than 100 years."
Banks used to pick out a 1963 FA Cup semi-final when Leicester scored with their only shot on goal while he single-handedly thwarted chance after chance for Liverpool.
Born in the northern city of Sheffield, Banks worked as a coal packer and apprentice bricklayer as a teenager before an inauspicious start at Chesterfield's reserves: he let in 122 goals in the 1954-55 season. After military service, he got a first-team contract at Chesterfield - for £7 a week.
Anecdotes from Banks' life tell of a different era to that of today's cosseted players. Before kick-off at the 1966 World Cup semi-final, he ran out of the gum he used to chew to generate spit for his hands - so the England trainer popped out of Wembley and down the road to buy some from a news kiosk just in time to stave off Banks' panic.
Football: Griezmann on target again as Atletico edge closer to Barca Atletico Madrid's forward Antoine Griezmann celebrates after scoring the 1-0 lead. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Griezmann on target again as Atletico edge closer to Barca
Almoez Ali scored a spectacular overhead kick for a record ninth goal of the tournament to set Qatar on their way to a first Asian Cup triumph with a stunning 3-1 win over four-times champions
Ali on target as Qatar stun Japan to win first Asian Cup
Liverpool laying groundwork for sustained success, says Klopp
Aston Villa's Jack Grealish was punched by a pitch-invading Birmingham fan in a shocking incident during Sunday's Championship clash, but the midfielder had the last laugh as he scored the
Villa's Grealish has last laugh after Birmingham fan attack
Newport County goalkeeper Joe Day cuts short FA Cup celebrations to attend birth of twins His wife Lizzie had gone into labour before the match. A huge congratulations to 'Keeper Joe Day
Newport County goalkeeper's wife goes into labour after
It will be "super difficult" for Neymar to face Manchester United in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League tie with Paris Saint-Germain in February, according to manager Thomas Tuchel
Neymar unlikely to be fit for Manchester United Champions
Football: Valencia chairman Murthy says King s Cup victory icing on the cake to a fine season - straitstimes There's a Petition to Stop Game of Thrones Showrunners From Making Star Wars
Valencia Programmes TV, Calendrier, Résultats, Actualités
cardiff skipper dedicates goal to sala Cardiff City captain Sol Bamba dedicated his goal and a 2-1 victory over Southampton to Emiliano Sala after an emotional match for the Welsh club. Round 38
I know Sala was watching - Bambav | FOX Sports Asia
Suarez will miss the Copa del Rey final against Valencia on May 25 and also faces a fight to be fit for the Copa America in Brazil next month. Uruguay's first game is against Ecuador on June 16
Arsenal opinion: Should the Gunners make a move for Kurt Zouma? The Sun has reported that Arsenal manager Unai Emery is keen on adding defensive reinforcements in the summer. Appointed by the club
Petr Cech backing Arsenal young guns to plug gap left by Per
"Yes, our title run has been affected and we are now having 70% chances. Had we won, we would have gone up to 90% chances of claiming the league title. They (Vipers) showed intent from the word go -exerting pressure which forced my midfield to drop back. But in the second half, we played our way (offensive) and missed a lot chances.
Partick Thistle: Alan Archibald rues missed chances in St
LYON (France): Barcelona were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at Olympique Lyonnais in their Champions League last-16 first leg on Tuesday as both sides remained undefeated in this season's
Jesse Lingard says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has brought "the Manchester United way" back to the club. The Norwegian has overseen eight straight wins since replacing Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford
F365's early winner: Ole playing the way that United should
Declan Rice's first West Ham goal secured a 1-0 win over Arsenal in a capital city derby clash at the London Stadium. The victory in Saturday's early kick-off saw the Hammers move up to eighth in the Premier League table, on 31 points, ahead of the bulk of the weekend's fixtures.
Rice Scores First Hammers Goal To Defeat Arsenal - Channels
Valencia eased into the semi-finals of the Europa League for the first time in five years with a comfortable 2-0 win at home to fellow Spanish side Villarreal in heavy rain on Thursday for a resounding 5-1 aggregate scoreline.
Valencia vs. Villarreal - Football Match Summary - April 18
watch soccer live stream hunter
watch soccer game live now
watch soccer online free streaming live bbc
watch coppa america live streaming dailymotion
watch champions league live streaming match
watch soccer aid live stream online
watch soccer live football streaming - ronaldo7.net
watch coppa america live streaming ronaldo7
watch coppa america live streaming tv
live tv soccer live stream - live3s.com
watch premier league live streaming zimbabwe
watch champions league live streaming xbox
watch coppa america live streaming youtube
watch usa soccer live stream
watch champions league live streaming now tv
watch soccer live streaming hd
watch soccer online free streaming live cricfree
watch coppa america live streaming hotstar
super soccer tv live streaming persib
watch coppa america live streaming mobile
watch champions league live streaming now free
watch coppa america live streaming twitch
watch soccer online free streaming live p2p
watch sky sports premier league online free streaming live
watch coppa america live streaming kenya
watch soccer online free live streaming hd
watch coppa america live streaming rcti
watch coppa america live streaming xbox one
watch coppa america live streaming in india
watch premier league live streaming vf
watch premier league live streaming vk
watch coppa america live streaming totalsportek
watch coppa america live streaming gratis
watch sky sports premier league live stream
watch indian premier league live stream online
watch soccer online free streaming live without registration
watch champions league live streaming video
watch coppa america live streaming spain
watch coppa america live streaming zip
watch coppa america live streaming live free
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online reddit
watch coppa america live streaming australia
watch soccer online free streaming live south africa
watch coppa america live streaming bt sport
watch uefa champions league final live streaming free online
tv soccer live stream sky
watch coppa america live streaming video
watch coppa america live streaming game
watch live premier league football streaming online for free
watch barclays premier league live streaming online free
how to watch champions league live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming india
watch premier league live streaming juventus vs manchester united
watch champions league live streaming manchester united
watch coppa america live streaming match
watch soccer online free streaming live english
watch epl live streaming on iphone
watch soccer online free streaming live india
watch soccer online free streaming live in english
watch soccer online free streaming live reddit
watch usa soccer live stream online
watch soccer online free streaming live batman
watch soccer live streaming qatar
watch champions league live streaming jamaica
watch champions league live streaming zee5
watch champions league live streaming mobile
watch coppa america live streaming sctv
watch champions league live streaming putlockers
watch coppa america live streaming yify
watch live stream soccer games online free
watch epl live streaming free no sign up
watch soccer live streaming xfinity
watch coppa america live streaming pc
live ipl live streaming- watch indian premier league 2013 online
khan tv pw watch indian premier league 2018 live streaming
soccer tv live football streaming gratuit
watch champions league final live streaming
watch champions league draw live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming india vs england
apps to watch live streaming soccer
watch coppa america live streaming english
watch english premier league live streaming free
how to watch uefa champions league live streaming
watch champions league live streaming ptv sports
watch soccer game live espn
watch champions league live streaming zee tv
watch soccer saturday live stream
watch soccer online free streaming live liverpool
watch champions league simulcast live stream
watch premier league net live manchester united stream channel
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming free
watch soccer live streaming zee tv
watch soccer live streaming kenya
watch soccer online free streaming live iphone
watch coppa america live streaming free online
watch champions league live streaming bt sport
watch champions league live streaming vk
watch coppa america live streaming uk
watch premier league darts live stream
watch premier league live in stream
watch sky sports premier league live streaming
watch the champions league live stream
watch coppa america live streaming jamaica
watch coppa america live streaming quality
watch coppa america live streaming sub eng
watch champions league semi final draw live stream
watch live soccer game barcelona vs real madrid
watch live soccer stream android
watch premier league live streaming xbox
watch hd soccer live streaming free
watch soccer live stream apk
watch coppa america live streaming crictime
watch soccer online free live streaming livetv ru
www.watch premier league live stream.com
watch uefa champions league live streaming free online india
watch karnataka premier league live streaming
watch champions league live streaming vf
where to watch champions league live streaming
watch everton vs tottenham live soccer streaming
watch premier league live streaming live
watch bangladesh premier league live streaming online free
watch live soccer streaming free android
watch soccer am online live streaming
watch coppa america live streaming live
watch real madrid vs juventus live streaming of champions league
watch champions league live streaming bola
watch soccer games live stream free
watch coppa america live streaming vf
watch coppa america live streaming hd free
watch coppa america live streaming zee5
watch champions league live streaming juventus
watch coppa america live streaming online
watch champions league soccer live streaming
watch premier league live stream hd
watch coppa america live streaming cricfree
watch uefa champions league draw live streaming free online
soccer tv live football streaming garuda select
watch live soccer online free streaming now
#romania #PartyTime #chocolatecoffee #cr7 #soccer #livestreaming #bayernmunich #comics #serieatim #mensnightout #noelgallagher #Barcelona #satira #footballmeme #zinedinezidane #goodday #midnight #gym #jadwalbolahariini #commento #messi #frasitrap #streamingbolaid #rugby #alissonbecker #footballdubai #panini #pagani #sixtimes #Liamgallagher #coffeebreak #thomasmeunier #hotcoffee #BMW #Vip45 #mancityvsliverpool #Fcb #seriea #frasirap #mane #kroenkeout #manchestercity #MSport #portsmouthfc #barcelona #uefanationsleague #calciatoribrutti #lfc #thebeatles #football #arsenal #salah #valcea #cristianoronaldo #ignoranza #footballmemes #sumbertv #neymar #bundesliga #433skills #bayern #mancity #soccerbible
0 comments:
Post a Comment