Gordon Banks RIP

Sadly Gordon Banks passed away last night at the age of 81 at home. RIP

Very sad news to hear. Impeccable gentleman, World Cup winner (shame about the 1970 controversy), and one of the greatest goalkeepers to have played the beautiful game.

Duty281 wrote:Very sad news to hear. Impeccable gentleman, World Cup winner (shame about the 1970 controversy), and one of the greatest goalkeepers to have played the beautiful game.

What was the 1970 World Cup controversy that GB was involved in?



Not in the GB World Class, but Fred Pickering was a fine striker before injury stepped in; died earlier this week - Ian Ross too, just to balance Stanley Park.

I was referring mainly to the murky story of Banks falling ill right on the eve of the quarter-final against West Germany, as well as all the other shenanigans that went on.

Had to add my nod to this...81 not a bad innings , but sad just the same to hear of the demise of this great player. Four of the heroes of 1966 now in footballers Valhalla...

RIP Gordon .

alfie wrote:Had to add my nod to this...81 not a bad innings , but sad just the same to hear of the demise of this great player.  Four of the heroes of 1966 now in footballers Valhalla...

RIP Gordon .

Alfie - I read that amongst the many former players at Gordon Banks' funeral was George Eastham. That name won't mean anything to 99+ per cent of posters here but you might just recall that back in the early '60s he was front and back page news as he successfully challenged in the courts the unfairness of the ''retain and transfer'' system which could tie a player to a club for life and see him go unpaid if he sought a move away. He was a non-playing member of England's '66 squad and later a team mate of Gordon Banks at Stoke City. He scored the winning goal when Stoke, with Banks still between the sticks, won the League Cup in '72.

Anyway, after his playing career here he emigrated to South Africa where he still lives now at the age of 82. He flew from South Africa to specially attend Banks' funeral. I thought that said a lot about both of them.

PS and edit: Kwini will undoubtedly remember Eastham.

guildford,
I never saw this post, but yes, George Eastham was quite the man, player and advocate. One of very few England players who went to two World Cups and never played a match.

And I'm only here because I see his contemporary, sort of, Tommy Smith just went to see Bill Shankly in his boot room in the sky.

Harder than nails

Hi Kwini - it was Tommy Smith who made me also look in here now.

''Harder than nails'' +1

Hello guildford,
The Grim Reaper has thankfully taken a few weeks off, not taking in too many footballers and very few cricketers.
Only saw Smith once, but Shankly's bon mot about Smith not being born, but "quarried" was as graphic as it was priceless! Just one cap is as hard to comprehend as it was 50 years ago.

Ivor Broadis has died, aged 96.
Quite the character by all accounts, and England's longest-living international until his death this week. I wonder who succeeds him in that position?

Someone posted a wonderful video on here of Broadis a couple of years ago, still perfectly content in his Carlisle semi.
Also apparently the first player manager (of Carlisle) to transfer himself, for 18,000 pounds to Sunderland in 1949!


(I hope these things don't come in threes.)