Editing Gordon Banks (section)

== Club career ==
=== Chesterfield ===
Banks was [[Scout (association football)|scout]]ed by [[Chesterfield F.C.|Chesterfield]] whilst playing for Millspaugh and offered a six-game trial in the [[Youth system|youth team]] in March 1953.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=15}}</ref> He impressed enough in these games to be offered a part-time [[Pound sterling|£]]3-a-week [[Association football contracts|contract]] by [[Manager (association football)|manager]] [[Teddy Davison]] in July 1953.<ref name="page 17">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=17}}</ref> The [[reserve team]] were placed in [[Central League (England)|the Central League]] on account of a powerful club director rather than on merit, and Banks conceded 122 goals in the 1954–55 season as the "Spireites" finished in last place with only three victories.<ref name="page 17" /> Banks was posted to Germany with the [[Royal Corps of Signals|Royal Signals]] on [[national service]], and won the Rhine Cup with his regimental team.<ref name="page 20">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=20}}</ref> He recovered from a [[Elbow fracture|fractured elbow]] to help the Chesterfield youth team to the 1956 final of the [[FA Youth Cup]].<ref name="page 20" /> There they were beaten 4–3 on [[aggregate score|aggregate]] by [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]]'s famous "[[Busby Babes]]"—a team that included both [[Wilf McGuinness]] and [[Bobby Charlton]].<ref name="page 22">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=22}}</ref>

Banks was given his first-team debut by manager [[Doug Livingstone]], at the expense of long-serving [[Ron Powell]], in a [[Football League Third Division|Third Division]] game against [[Colchester United F.C.|Colchester United]] at [[Saltergate]] in November 1958.<ref name="page 23">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=23}}</ref> The game ended 2–2, and Banks kept his place against [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]] in the following match; by the end of the [[1958–59 Football League|1958–59]] season, he had missed only three games, those owing to injury.<ref name="page 25">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=25}}</ref> With no goalkeeping [[Coach (sport)|coach]] to guide him, Banks had to learn from his mistakes on the [[Football pitch|pitch]], and he soon developed into a modern vocal goalkeeper who ordered the players in front of him into a more effective defence.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=26}}</ref> Having just 23 league and three cup appearances to his name, it came as a surprise to Banks when [[Matt Gillies]], manager of [[Football League First Division|First Division]] club [[Leicester City F.C.|Leicester City]], bought him from Chesterfield for £7,000 in July 1959; this also meant a wage increase to £15 a week.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=27}}</ref>

=== Leicester City ===
Banks faced competition from five other goalkeepers, including 30-year-old [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]] international [[Johnny Anderson (footballer)|Johnny Anderson]] and 25-year-old [[Dave MacLaren]].<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=29}}</ref> He started the [[1959–60 Football League|1959–60]] season as the reserve team's goalkeeper. This, in effect, made him the club's second-choice, ahead of four of his rivals but behind first-team choice MacLaren.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=30}}</ref> He had played four reserve team games when MacLaren picked up an injury, and manager Matt Gillies selected Banks for his Leicester debut against [[Blackpool F.C.|Blackpool]] at [[Filbert Street]] on 9 September. The match finished 1–1, with [[Jackie Mudie]]'s strike cancelling out [[Ken Leek]]'s opener.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=31}}</ref> Banks retained his place for the 2–0 loss to [[Newcastle United F.C.|Newcastle United]] at [[St James' Park]] three days later.<ref name="page 32">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=32}}</ref> With McLaren fit again, Banks was sent back to the reserves, but after the first team conceded 14 goals in the next five games, he was recalled and became the first-choice goalkeeper for the remainder of the season.<ref name="page 32" /> The defensive record did not improve at first, with Banks conceding six in a heavy defeat by [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] at [[Goodison Park]]. Still, he improved in each match, and the Foxes settled for a comfortable 12th-place finish.<ref name="page 32" /> In training, he worked extensively on improving his weaknesses, such as coming for crosses.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=33}}</ref> He put in extra hours during training and came up with practice sessions to improve his skills – this was largely unique in an era where there were no specialized goalkeeping coaches.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=64}}</ref> In the summer, both Anderson and MacLaren departed, leaving Banks as the club's undisputed number one ahead of a group of understudies.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=37}}</ref>

Leicester finished sixth in [[1960–61 Football League|1960–61]], and managed to beat champions [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Tottenham Hotspur]] at [[White Hart Lane]].<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=39}}</ref> Yet their greatest accomplishment was in reaching the final of the [[FA Cup]], with Banks conceding only five goals in their nine games ''en route'' to the final, and keeping three [[Shutout|clean sheet]]s in the semi-final and two [[Replay (sports)|replay]]s against [[Sheffield United F.C.|Sheffield United]]. Their opponents in [[1961 FA Cup final|the final]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]] were Tottenham, who had already won the First Division title by an eight-point margin.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=43}}</ref> Right-back [[Len Chalmers]] picked up a severe injury early in the match, and with Ken Leek dropped for disciplinary reasons in favour of rookie [[Hughie McIlmoyle]], City were effectively playing with ten men and offered little threat going forward.<ref name="page 46">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=46}}</ref> [[Bobby Smith (footballer, born 1933)|Bobby Smith]] and [[Terry Dyson]] gave Spurs a 2–0 win and the first "[[Double (association football)|double]]" of the 20th century, with Banks unable to prevent either goal.<ref name="page 46" />

The [[1961–62 Football League|1961–62]] season proved to be highly disappointing, as Leicester finished 14th in the league and exited the FA Cup at the hands of [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]].<ref name="page 50">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=50}}</ref> The only highlight was the club's participation in the [[UEFA Cup Winners' Cup|European Cup Winners' Cup]], which put Banks in the difficult position of choosing to play for his club against Spanish club [[Atlético Madrid]] or choosing to attend the [[England national football team|England]] versus [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]] match as a non-playing squad member.<ref name="page 50" /> He elected to attend both games, leaving London at full-time to reach Leicester 30 minutes before the [[Kick-off (association football)|kick-off]] against Madrid.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=51}}</ref> A [[last-minute goal]] earned the Spaniards a 1–1 draw at Filbert Street.<ref name="page 52">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=52}}</ref> In the return leg, Banks [[Save (goaltender)|save]]d an [[Enrique Collar]] [[Penalty kick (association football)|penalty]], but Atlético were awarded a second penalty which Collar converted, and Leicester lost the game 2–0 (losing the tie 3–1 on aggregate).<ref name="page 52" />

Banks [[Nasal fracture|broke his nose]] at [[Craven Cottage]] on the opening day of the [[1962–63 Leicester City F.C. season|1962–63]] season, in a 2–1 defeat by [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]].<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=54}}</ref> Leicester went to chase a possible double, reaching the FA Cup semi-finals whilst sitting on top of the table in April.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=56}}</ref> City beat [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] 1–0 at [[Hillsborough Stadium|Hillsborough]] to reach the final, with Banks keeping a clean sheet despite his goal being under a near-constant siege from the Merseyside club.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=57}}</ref> The ''[[News of the World]]'' reported that Liverpool had had 34 attempts on goal to Leicester's one, and Banks later stated that it was his finest performance at club level.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=58}}</ref> Unluckily, Banks then [[Bone fracture|broke]] a finger in a 2–1 defeat by [[West Bromwich Albion F.C.|West Bromwich Albion]] at [[The Hawthorns]], and was out injured as Leicester lost their final three league games, ending the season in a disappointing fourth place.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=59}}</ref> In the [[1963 FA Cup final]] Banks and the rest of the team underperformed, and lost the game 3–1 to Manchester United.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=60}}</ref><ref name="OFAF">{{cite book|author=Dave Smith & Paul Taylor|title=Of Fossils and Foxes|publisher=Polar Print Group|year=2010|isbn=978-1-905411-94-8}}</ref>

City ended the [[1963–64 Football League|1963–64]] season in 11th place, having been inconsistent all season. Success instead came through the [[EFL Cup|League Cup]], as they beat [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]] 6–3 over two legs in the semi-finals to reach the final against Stoke City.<ref name="page 73">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=73}}</ref> The opening tie at the [[Victoria Ground]] finished 1–1 in extremely muddy conditions as Banks spilled a [[Shooting (association football)|shot]] from [[Bill Asprey]], with [[Keith Bebbington]] pouncing on the [[Rebound (sports)|rebound]].<ref name="page 73" /> Back at Filbert Street, goals from [[Mike Stringfellow]], [[Dave Gibson (Scottish footballer)|Dave Gibson]] and [[Howard Riley (footballer)|Howard Riley]] won the game for Leicester 3–2 and settled the tie at 4–3.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=74}}</ref>

Banks started the [[1964–65 Football League|1964–65]] season on wages of £40 a week, and the club only agreed to pay £60 a week in December.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=83}}</ref> These miserly wages made it difficult for the club to spend the £80,000 it received from the sale of [[Frank McLintock]] – he had put in a [[Transfer (association football)|transfer]] request over dissatisfaction with his pay and quality replacements were reluctant to join a club that paid full internationals like Banks and McLintock no more than the base rate that rival clubs paid to average players.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=84}}</ref> Leicester finished 18th in the league and were knocked out of the FA Cup by Liverpool at [[Anfield]] in the sixth round. In the League Cup, City struggled to get past [[Peterborough United F.C.|Peterborough United]] (in a replay), [[Grimsby Town F.C.|Grimsby Town]] and [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]] (in a replay), before they recorded an 8–1 victory over [[Coventry City F.C.|Coventry City]] at [[Highfield Road]]. After easing past [[Plymouth Argyle F.C.|Plymouth Argyle]] in the semi-finals, Banks found himself playing in another [[1965 Football League Cup final|League Cup final]]. However, [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] won the final after successfully defending their 3–2 win at [[Stamford Bridge (stadium)|Stamford Bridge]] with a goalless draw at Filbert Street.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=87}}</ref>

Banks missed the first nine games of the [[1965–66 Football League|1965–66]] season after [[Distal radius fracture|breaking his wrist]] when diving at the feet of [[Northampton Town F.C.|Northampton Town]]'s [[Joe Kiernan]] in a pre-season [[Exhibition game|friendly]].<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=91}}</ref> Leicester finished the season in seventh spot and exited both cup competitions at the hands of [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]].<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=93}}</ref>

Despite being a World Cup winner in the summer of 1966, Banks was dropped towards the end of the [[1966–67 Football League|1966–67]] season in favour of highly promising teenage reserve [[Peter Shilton]].<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=144}}</ref> Manager Matt Gillies was blunt, telling Banks "we [Gillies and the club's directors] think your best days are behind you, and you should move on".<ref name="page 145">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=145}}</ref> Teammate [[Richie Norman]] told Banks that Gillies was pressured into the decision, Shilton having told the board he would leave the club unless he was given first-team football.<ref name="page 145" /> Banks was transfer listed at £50,000, the same price the club received for [[Derek Dougan]] in March 1967.<ref name="page 145" /> However, many of the big clubs were unwilling to spend such a sum on a goalkeeper.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=146}}</ref> [[Liverpool F.C.|Liverpool]] manager [[Bill Shankly]] showed strong interest, but could not convince the club's board of directors to agree to such a large fee for a goalkeeper.<ref name="p18">{{harvnb|Banks|1980|p=18}}</ref> West Ham United manager [[Ron Greenwood]] was prepared to match the fee, but instead signed [[Kilmarnock F.C.|Kilmarnock]]'s [[Bobby Ferguson (footballer, born 1945)|Bobby Ferguson]] for £65,000 because he had already agreed terms with Kilmarnock and did not want to go back on his word.<ref name="p18" /> Terms were instead agreed with Stoke City, a mid-table First Division side.<ref name="page 147">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=147}}</ref>

=== Stoke City ===
{{Quote box|quote="I've not come here to retire you know. I've come to here to win something."|source=— Banks speaking upon signing with the club after critics questioned Waddington's policy of signing veteran players.<ref name="101 greats">{{cite book|title=Stoke City 101 Golden Greats|year=2002|publisher=Desert Islands Books|pages=173–76|isbn=1-874287-55-4}}</ref>|width=35%|align=right}}
On leaving Filbert Street, Banks requested a loyalty bonus from Leicester and was told by Matt Gillies, "We've decided not to pay you a penny. There's to be no compensation payment and that's final."<ref name="page 147" /> Banks then refused the move until Stoke boss [[Tony Waddington]] seemingly negotiated a £2,000 payment out of Leicester.<ref name="page 148">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=148}}</ref> It was only some years later that Banks was informed that Stoke had made the payment, not Leicester.<ref name="page 148" /> Waddington valued good goalkeepers highly, and the two built up a close relationship.<ref name="page 148" /> During this time, Banks moved to [[Madeley, Staffordshire]].<ref name="page 149">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=149}}</ref> He replaced [[John Farmer (footballer)|John Farmer]] as the club's number one, and kept goal in the last four games of the [[1966–67 Stoke City F.C. season|1966–67]] season, making his home debut at the Victoria Ground in a 3–1 win over his former club Leicester.<ref name="page 149" />

Banks fitted in well at Stoke, as Waddington built a team of veteran players who were judged by some to be past their best.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=154}}</ref> The Potters struggled near the foot of the First Division table in the [[1967–68 Stoke City F.C. season|1967–68]] and [[1968–69 Stoke City F.C. season|1968–69]] campaigns, before rising to ninth place in the [[1969–70 Stoke City F.C. season|1969–70]] season. Banks remained a reliable stopper for the club. However, on 1 March 1969, he was knocked unconscious at [[Roker Park]] by [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]]'s [[Malcolm Moore (footballer)|Malcolm Moore]], and his replacement [[David Herd (footballer)|David Herd]] conceded four goals in a 4–1 defeat.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=156}}</ref> Banks also played a season for the [[Cleveland Stokers]] of the American [[United Soccer Association]] in the summer of 1968: he played seven of the short-lived club's 12 games in [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]].<ref name="nasl" />

Banks made what he believed to be three of the best saves of his career in a Stoke shirt. In the first instance, he saved and caught a powerful and well-placed header from Manchester City's [[Wyn Davies]] from {{convert|8|yd}} out; in the second case he saved a [[Francis Lee (footballer)|Francis Lee]] header at [[Maine Road]]; and he made his third great save for the club by catching a [[Volley (association football)|volley]] from Tottenham Hotspur's [[Alan Gilzean]] that had been hit from {{convert|6|yd}} out at White Hart Lane.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=177}}</ref>

Stoke began to compete for honours in the [[1970–71 Stoke City F.C. season|1970–71]] season, though despite impressive victories against the top two clubs—[[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] and [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]]—City ended the season in mid-table obscurity.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=189}}</ref> The club's great achievement was in reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup, beating [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]], [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]], [[Ipswich Town F.C.|Ipswich Town]] and [[Hull City A.F.C.|Hull City]] ''en route''.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=192}}</ref> Facing Arsenal at Hillsborough in the semi-finals, they lost a two-goal lead to draw 2–2, and were then beaten 2–0 in the replay at [[Villa Park]].<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=193}}</ref>

Despite another mid-table finish in [[1971–72 Stoke City F.C. season|1971–72]], Stoke beat Chesterfield, [[Tranmere Rovers F.C.|Tranmere Rovers]], Hull City and Manchester United to reach another FA Cup semi-final.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=194}}</ref> They again faced Arsenal, and once more, a draw at Villa Park meant a replay at Goodison Park.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=195}}</ref> The Gunners' goals in a 2–1 victory came from a disputed Frank McLintock penalty and a [[John Radford (footballer)|John Radford]] goal that television replays showed was clearly [[Offside (association football)|offside]].<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=196}}</ref> In a May 2011 interview, Banks said that he still felt "cheated" out of a chance to play for the club in an FA Cup final.<ref name="hurt lingers">{{cite web|last=Bevan|first=Chris|title=FA Cup hurt lingers for Banks|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/chrisbevan/2011/05/banks.html|work=BBC|date=12 May 2011|access-date=4 February 2013}}</ref> Stoke and Banks found solace in the League Cup, though it took them 11 matches to reach the final after overcoming [[Southport F.C.|Southport]], then [[Oxford United F.C.|Oxford United]] in a replay, Manchester United in a second replay, [[Bristol Rovers F.C.|Bristol Rovers]], and then West Ham United in a second replay following an aggregate draw after two legs.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=197}}</ref> In [[Overtime (sports)|extra time]] of the second leg with West Ham, Banks [[Fouls and misconduct (association football)|fouled]] [[Harry Redknapp]], conceding a penalty, and then saved [[Geoff Hurst]]'s powerful spot-kick to keep City in the competition.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=199}}</ref> They then faced Chelsea in [[1972 Football League Cup final|the final]] at Wembley. [[Peter Osgood]] beat Banks with a hooked shot just before [[half-time]], but goals from [[Terry Conroy]] and [[George Eastham]] won Stoke the game 2–1.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=201}}</ref> At the end of the season, Banks was named the [[FWA Footballer of the Year]], becoming the first goalkeeper to receive the honour since [[Bert Trautmann]] in 1956.<ref name="page 202">{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=202}}</ref>

On 22 October 1972, while driving home from a session of work on his injured [[shoulder]] with the Stoke [[Physical therapy|physiotherapist]], Banks lost control of his new [[Ford Consul]] (a re-badged [[Ford Granada (Europe)|Ford Granada Mk I]]) car, which ended up in a ditch.<ref>{{cite web|title=Gordon Banks|url=http://www.planetworldcup.com/LEGENDS/banks.html|work=planetworldcup.com|access-date=29 January 2013}}</ref> He had attempted to overtake a car on a sharp bend and collided with an oncoming [[Austin Cambridge|Austin A60 van]].<ref name="page 202" /> He was taken to the [[Royal Stoke University Hospital|North Staffordshire Hospital]] and, during an operation, received 200 stitches in his face and over 100 micro-stitches inside the socket of his right eye, and was told the chances of saving the sight in his eye were 50–50.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=203}}</ref> His sight never returned, and as the loss of [[binocular vision]] severely limited his abilities as a goalkeeper, he retired from professional football the following summer.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=207}}</ref>

=== Fort Lauderdale Strikers ===
In April 1977, he went on to play as a named superstar in the [[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|North American Soccer League]] (NASL) for [[Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983)|Fort Lauderdale Strikers]].<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=209}}</ref> The Strikers won their division in [[1977 North American Soccer League season|1977]], and Banks was named NASL Goalkeeper of the Year after he conceded only 29 goals in 26 games—the best defensive record in the NASL.<ref>{{harvnb|Banks|2002|p=215}}</ref> He also played one [[League of Ireland]] game for [[St Patrick's Athletic F.C.|St Patrick's Athletic]], keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 win over [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]] at [[Richmond Park (football ground)|Richmond Park]] on 2 October 1977.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.offtheball.com/sport/remembering-gordon-banks-one-appearance-st-patricks-athletic-826366 | website = offtheball.com | title = Remembering Gordon Banks' one appearance for St Patrick's Athletic | first = Darren |last = Cleary | date = 12 February 2019 | access-date = 12 February 2019}}</ref> He returned to Fort Lauderdale and played 11 games in the [[1978 North American Soccer League season|1978 season]].<ref name="usa"/>