World Cup keeper Gordon Banks' funeral details announced

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Media caption,

Watch: Banks makes wonder save to deny Pele at 1970 World Cup

The funeral of World Cup winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks OBE will take place on 4 March.

Banks, who was named Fifa goalkeeper of the year six times and earned 73 caps for England, died at the age of 81 on Tuesday.

His funeral will be held at Stoke Minster on the 47th anniversary of Stoke City FC's League Cup win.

The club said the day had "special poignancy" as Banks played a "key role" in the victory.

Image source, Alamy
Image caption,
Gordon Banks had been ill for a number of weeks before his death on Tuesday

The keeper was born in Sheffield and made almost 200 appearances for Stoke City after joining them in 1967, including the 1972 League Cup success.

He stayed there until he retired from professional football the following year.

Banks started his career at Chesterfield, moving to Leicester in 1959 for £7,000, and it was there he established himself as England's number one, earning his first international cap in 1963 against Scotland.

He played in every game of the 1966 World Cup campaign, culminating in the 4-2 victory over West Germany in the final at Wembley.

Image source, Hulton Archive
Image caption,
Banks (far left) as England lifted the World Cup in 1966

Stoke chairman Peter Coates said Banks "made his home in Stoke, and was very much part of the fabric of the club".

He added: "You don't get too many like him, and he was immensely modest for all his talent.

"He was England's greatest goalkeeper when they had their finest hour."

The funeral will be held at 13:30 GMT.

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