Editing Gordon Banks (section)

=== 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>