Banks, Gordon (Gordon Banks)

(December 30, 1937)
"Jairzinho at a high arch hung a ball from the flank to the far post - recalls goalie. - Pele high jumped and struck his head heavily into the bottom corner. That blow was perfection itself. I dived to the right and outstretched arm was able to touch the ball, batted from the ground beside the goal line. He flew up and hitting on the bar, went to the corner. "No one could believe in everything that happened. And least of all himself Pele. He was so confident of success that barely touched the ball head, shouted: "Gool! Photos, which stretched out as a poker Banks saves the gate from the goal, bypassed all the sports pages of publications world.
Gordon Banks. Impenetrable. The British called it the best goalkeeper of the XX century. Clearly the desire to raise a compatriot, who in 1966 helped England win its first and only World Cup.
"In today's football bonuses for the victory gained such importance that pass balls was still very crime - reflects in his memoirs Banks. - And at my age no one liked to get the ball out of the gate grid. But if it turns out, this was perceived as something natural. Partners were thinking only about how quickly recoup ". Here Banksy disingenuous: he has not been a lot of practice in this. In 73 games for the national team managed to score his opponents only 57 goals - an average of 0.78 per game. This is an outstanding figure even in today's football game when the emphasis shifted to an explicit defense.
But he is in 35 matches generally kept their doors intact! As for the victorious British in 1966 Banks had reached the semi-final against Portugal, not missing a single ball. He managed to stop a series of dry only 443 minutes Eusebio, and even then only hit with 11 meter mark.
Every great player has his own star moment. The one who is perfectly still etched in my memory of his fans. Banks became the idol of millions, after not so successful for the British World Championship 1970 in Mexico. Precisely, after the episode in the match against Brazil, when he reflected, it would seem a sure hit of the King of football. "Jairzinho at a high arch hung a ball from the flank to the far post - recalls goalie. - Pele high jumped and struck his head heavily into the bottom corner. That blow was perfection itself. I dived to the right and outstretched arm was able to touch the ball, batted from the ground beside the goal line. He flew up and hitting on the bar, went to the corner. "No one could believe in everything that happened. And least of all himself Pele. He was so confident of success that barely touched the ball head, shouted: "Gool! Photos, which stretched out as a poker Banks saves the gate from the goal, bypassed all the sports pages of publications world. Pele also acknowledged the fantastic goalkeeper throw "the greatest in history". And really the player who scored the gate more than 1200 balls, seen every.
In 1970, the British failed to defend world title. But Banks' guilt was not in. He fell ill and did not play in a dramatic quarterfinal match against Germany. Winning in the course of the meeting 2:0, the England team lost in extra time. He brought teams took place at the gate goalkeeper Chelsea's Peter Bonetti. Then it came to light version that illness Banks - the result of sabotage. Be that as it was not, a few weeks after the FM-70 of his sports achievements were marked by the highest award of the country - he became a CBE.
We can say that England was a great goalie by accident. Gordon Banks was born Dec. 30, 1937 in Sheffield - the city of miners and kameschikov. Like all the boys in Sheffield, he chased the ball and played for school team. He was named the best young goalkeeper in the.
But the 15-year-old boy and had no thoughts of what could become a football idol. "I have often noted for the vividness with which I got out of the gate missing balls than for their ability to reflect," - he openly admits in his autobiography. After high school, Banks helped the miners, and then went to the disciples to bricklayer. On weekends, watched matches from the local fans "Milspo". Once the game was not the goalkeeper, and to protect the gate offered to Banks.
A year later, Gordon drew the attention of club Yorkshire League Romarsh ". But the debut for it turned out to catastrophically. In the first two matches of Banks pulled out of the gate 15 goals. Is clear that it immediately sent back to the "Milspo". New Chance fate gave him in the 1955th, when the young goalkeeper scout noticed the "Chesterfield" from the third division. Then Banks first began to earn a football - two pounds sterling per game. After serving in the Army, 20-year-old Gordon nourish the team and becomes a professional - playing for 17 pounds in nedlyu. Leicester not miscalculated, when two years later bought by him for 7,000 pounds. For Banks, the club had 293 matches and in 1964 led him to the most significant achievement in history - the victory in the Carling Cup. Same success he achieves in 1972 and from Stoke, where he moved in soon after the FM-66.
Retired Banks, as well as her top, put the case. In 1972, he gets in a car accident and goes blind in her right eye. This is true not hinder him in the years 1977-78 to serve the United States, where he was in his first season recognize the most valuable goaltender League. But playing for Fort Lauderdale Straykerz "were not to his taste. "I felt like a clown in a circus - recalls Banks. - As if someone clicked: "Come look at the greatest one-eyed goalkeeper in the world". And once I had to withdraw on the field of the hearse with the coffin, from which sprang Dracula-dressed coach and shouted: "Straykerz" resurrected from the dead! "This show devices simply because the team lost two matches in a row.
Now the legendary goalkeeper is often invited to speak at ceremonies - appreciate his ability to tell jokes and remember the funny football episodes. But Banksy prefers to take care of his garden in Kvorne and chase the ball ... Golf