Gordon Banks: Stoke and England goalkeeper Jack Butland pays tribute to his hero

Gordon Banks: Stoke and England goalkeeper Jack Butland pays tribute to his hero
Jack Butland has paid tribute to Englands World Cup winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks, who has died at the age of 81.Stoke legend Banks is regarded as the countrys greatest ever keeper and widely remembered for the gravity-defying save which denied Pele at the 1970 World Cup.And Butland, the current Stoke No. 1, described the loss as a sad one for all of football.Its a massively sad day for everyone, he told talkSPORT. Not just connected with Stoke, but for football in general because of what he brought to the game. Its a sad loss for the world of football.3

Banks’ save will forever be remembered

Ive been fortunate enough to get to know him in the last few years. Anyone who had the pleasure of meeting him will tell you what hes like he immediately lifted up the room whenever he walked in.He had a witty and funny personality but he was extremely humble and positive. He was an incredible person.I had the pleasure of meeting him in the last few weeks at his home with his family. We had a cup of tea and chatted about all sorts of football things. Theyre memories that I hold very dear.Its going to be strange for the club and me to not have him around. Ill always hold onto his legacy and those memories we have and use it as fuel for fire. Ill never be able to fill his shoes unless we go and win two World Cups!Banks glittering career was full of enviable highlights, not least that save, and his part in the 1966 World Cup triumph.He was named FIFAs Goalkeeper of the Year no less than six times, and Butland reveals how special it was to be in his company.3

Banks was 81-years-old when he passed away overnight

It was humbling every time I met him to realise how lucky we have things, he added.He was telling me how his weight training sessions were diving around with bags of sand strapped to him. Kids taking shots at him until it was dark.And Butland believes that save against Pele is quite rightly remembered as one of the greatest of all-time.3

Butland described his close personal relationship with Banks

Hed say that Charlton came up to him after that save against Pele and said: Any chance of you stopping it going for a corner? Butland added.It was pretty awesome to be on that end of the story. He was fairly humble about the save, although he did say it was a very good one!Its one of those saves that we can never quite appreciate how good it was without being there or being in the moment. Its an incredible save and is quite rightly up there with one of the greatest of all time.”

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Media caption Goalkeepers Jack Butland, Joe Anyon, Kasper Schmeichel and Joe Hart acted as pallbearers. Gordon Banks's funeral cortege was greeted with warm applause as it arrived at Stoke City's ground earlier. People stood five or six-deep in places on the pavements of Stoke-on-Trent to pay tribute to England's World Cup-winning goalkeeper.
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Current Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland pays tribute to Gordon Banks at the Britannia Stadium While he remains the only English goalkeeper ever to get his hands on the Jules Rimet trophy, Banks

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'I'm devastated but it is time to remember who he was and what he was about': Stoke keeper Jack Butland pays tribute to mentor Gordon Banks. England legend Gordon Banks has passed away at the age
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Jack Butland has paid tribute to his friend and mentor Gordon Banks, the hero goalkeeper he wants to emulate with Stoke City and England. Butland had been taken under the wing of Banks since he
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Jack Butland has paid tribute to England's World Cup winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks, who has died at the age of 81. Stoke legend Banks is regarded as the country's greatest ever keeper and
Gordon Banks: Stoke and England goalkeeper Jack Butland pays

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Media caption Goalkeepers Jack Butland, Joe Anyon, Kasper Schmeichel and Joe Hart acted as pallbearers. World Cup final teammates of England goalkeeper Gordon Banks have attended his funeral
Stoke keeper Jack Butland pays tribute to mentor Gordon Banks

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Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionGoalkeepers Jack Butland, Joe Anyon, Kasper Schmeichel and Joe Hart acted as pallbearers World Cup final teammates of England goalkeeper Gordon Banks have attended his funeral, including hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst whose eulogy described him as a "superstar".
Stoke goalkeeper Butland to honour Gordon Banks by wearing

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Stoke and England goalkeeper Jack Butland pays tribute to

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Stoke City's Jack Butland was joined and Joe Hart applaud as the coffin of former England goalkeeper Gordon Banks leaves Stoke Minster As football pays tribute to hero goalkeeper Gordon
Gordon Banks funeral: Fans and mourners pay tribute | Uk

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Jack Butland has paid tribute to England's World Cup winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks, who has died at the age of 81. Stoke legend Banks is regarded as the country's greatest ever keeper and widely remembered for the gravity-defying save which denied Pele at the 1970 World Cup.
Gordon Banks funeral: Fans and mourners pay tribute - bbc.com