World Cup heroes paid tribute to Former England international Gordon Banks burial where they described him as a ‘superstar’
Sir Geoff Hurst termed him a “superstar” on the pitch which contrasted with his self-effacing personality as footballers past and present turned out to pay their respects to the World Cup-winning goalkeeper.
The former England international died, aged 81, on February 12 and his funerGordon Banks funeral: Tributes paid to humble ‘superstar’ by World Cup heroesal was held at Stoke Minster on Monday afternoon.
Hurst, Sir Bobby and Jack Charlton and Roger Hunt, who were in the starting XI alongside Banks as England defeated Germany 4-2 in the 1966 World Cup final, were among the mourners.
A reputation as one of the finest shot-stoppers of his or any era was not the only legacy Banks left behind, according to Hurst.
The former striker said in a moving eulogy: “He was a superstar on the field but, quite frankly, off the field he was not a superstar at all.
“He was a very ordinary guy, never had any airs and graces, and that was one of the beautiful things about Banksy that I remember very well.
“He was a joker, a funny man, for over 50 years and every time we met during our careers or years after he would come up and joke.
“Banksy, rest in peace. We love you and we miss you.”
Hundreds gathered at the bet365 Stadium to watch the funeral which was broadcast on two big screens.
Hours earlier a five-car funeral cortege passed through the ground, stopping for a few minutes at the pitch-side dugout, to a sustained round of applause.
The various achievements of Banks, who made 73 international appearances and was named FIFA goalkeeper of the year on six occasions, were displayed on the screens as a chant of ‘England’s number one’ broke out.
Sheffield-born Banks made nearly 200 appearances for Stoke and, such was his standing, he was named the club’s president following the death of Sir Stanley Matthews at the turn of the century.
The statue erected in Banks’ honour outside their stadium, holding the Jules Rimet trophy aloft in one hand and his gloves in the other, was decorated with several Stoke and England scarves.
The surrounding area was adorned with shirts, flags and even the odd pair of goalkeeping gloves in tribute to one of the city’s favourite adopted sons.