https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47196017 Have just learned that England great Gordon Banks has passed away RIP So glad I had the pleasure of seeing him before he retired set the the standard of England keepers for many years.
Raised the standard for GKs in England to very high levels. I doubt that there would have been a Clemence / Jennings / Shilton without him coming beforehand.
Sad, but 81 is a good age. Jennings was more a contemporary not a follower and a very different keeper. Yashin was probably the first of the 'new' keepers that influenced the way the role developed.
There's about 10 years between them and Banks would have been at the top of his game as Jennings was starting out. But you are right about them being very different. Jennings was an absolute natural and would have kept goal regardless of who came before.
Pat Jennings pays tribute to Gordon Banks: https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/...ching-the-greatest-gordon-banks-37808882.html "Bill Nicholson got me tickets to all of England’s games in the 1966 World Cup Finals, including the final, so I could watch Gordon in action. Bill said it was part of the learning process."
In the light of the sad news of Gordons passing - anyone else seen Danny Bakers suggestion that in the next set of fixtures all keepers (where possible) should wear a replica of the blue jersey Banksy wore when he made 'that save' all with just the number 1 on the back - What a tribute that would be
The No1 could be a problem if that is not the squad number but the shirts a good idea. Or the 1966 one?
Put the squad number on the front if the keeper is not No. 1 and make Lesta and Chavski wear their away strip. The refs, aren't fools, well most of them anyway. Make sure Michael Oliver is told not to book the keeper for diving.
Indeed. And if the PL are gonna be prats on the numbering, then put a big "1" on the front of the GK jersey, and keep the squad number on the back.
