That Gordon Banks, who died this week at the age of 81, was unquestionably the finest goalkeeper of his generation is beyond dispute – he was also, however, one of that rare breed of footballer whose abundant talent elevated him above traditional partisan loyalties.
At his Best-in-the-World prime between 1966 and 1972 Gordon Banks was no stranger to elevation, his reputation as a goalkeeper apart established by a series of near flawless displays as England won the 1966 World Cup – his breath-taking agility seeing him attain legendary status with a save from Pele in the 1970 World Cup that has become the most acclaimed act of goalkeeping in the history of football.
With reflexes as sharp as any around, Banks had the edge on all-comers due to an unfailingly calm temperament and brilliantly honed positional sense. Such a combination made the sublime look straightforward and the rigorous seem routine. Gordon Banks reached the very top of the tree without ever being flashy or deliberately eye-catching – present day goalkeepers take note.
In the composed way Banks applied himself to duty for club and country, there were obvious similarities in his approach to that of England captain Bobby Moore. Both were imbued with an acute sense of where danger could spring from, a Godsend particularly in international football (it is no bad thing either to have concentration backed up with the capacity for individual brilliance).
Neither can it be coincidence that England began their early 70s decline when the two were parted, Banks making his last appearance for England in May 1972, five months before the car crash that tragically ended his playing career at the age of 34.
The first half of his club career brought Sheffield-born Banks his most successful return in terms of trophies. Given his league debut by Chesterfield in 1958, he was signed by Leicester City a year later and between 1961 and 1965 was to appear in two FA Cup Finals and two League Cup Finals, the 1964 League Cup yielding his only winners medal of this period.
In April 1963 Banks won the first of his 73 England caps and by the time of a £50,000 transfer to Stoke City in 1967, he was not only a World Cup winner but had entered that echelon of footballer (George Best, Denis Law, Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Moore), that spectators went to see simply because they were playing – a case in point being the father and son in a November 1967 Molineux crowd for Wolves v Stoke City, due to the youngster wanting to see Gordon Banks.
For the 1970 Mexico World Cup holders England were among the tournament favourites, not least because they were able to field the best goalkeeper in the competition – his level of accomplishment taken to new heights when he thwarted a Pele header in a group game defeat against eventual winners Brazil.
Renowned as the greatest save ever made, it may not in fact be even the best Gordon Banks made – in denying Denis Law at Wembley in the 1967 England v Scotland international he actually appears to defy gravity.
But what was certain is that England had a world class performer between the sticks, a fact emphasised by his absence from the 1970 quarter-final against West Germany due to a stomach upset, Sir Alf Ramsey’s side exiting the tournament after letting slip a 2-0 lead – each of the three German goals unlikely to have been conceded had Banks lined up for England.
‘Of all the players we had to lose,’ Ramsey bemoaned after the game, ‘why did it have to be him?’
Two years later there appeared no slackening in his capabilities, Banks displaying imperious form in helping Stoke reach the 1972 League Cup Final – playing a major role as they beat Chelsea 2-1 in lifting the only major honour won by the club. By a strange twist of fate the last time I saw Banks play he conceded five, the reigning ‘Footballer of The Year‘ part of a Stoke team beaten 5-3 at Wolves in September 1972.
But less than a month later his career was over, Banks losing the sight of his right eye in the road accident – his enforced retirement a bitter blow for England, who without the consistency they had become accustomed to in Banks conceded poor goals in both World Cup qualifiers against Poland the following year, an away defeat and home draw costing England qualification for the 1974 finals.
Since Banks was forced to retire England have produced a handful of top class goalkeepers, each of whom has had moments of distinction on the international stage, although none blessed with the presence or cool authority that would have ever kept Gordon Banks out of the national team.
Which is why, even now, in an all-time great England team his would be the first name, literally speaking, on the team-sheet.
This article was first published on 14/2/2019.
NEIL SAMBROOK is the author of MONTY’S DOUBLE – an acclaimed thriller now available as an Amazon Kindle Book.