ENGLAND'S World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks has died at the age of 81, his former club Stoke have announced.
The news was revealed in a statement from the Banks family on the club's official website.
It said: "It is with great sadness that we announce that Gordon passed away peacefully overnight.
"We are devastated to lose him but we have so many happy memories and could not have been more proud of him.
"We would ask that the privacy of the family is respected at this time."
Banks made 510 league appearances for Chesterfield, Leicester and Stoke and won 73 senior international caps.
He was one of the stars of England's 1966 World Cup triumph against West Germany alongside Warrington's Roger Hunt.
He will always be remembered for a remarkable save he made to deny Brazil superstar Pele four years later in Mexico.
The goalkeeper's spectacular stop in a group-stage clash with Brazil during England's defence of the trophy in Mexico is widely regarded as one of the greatest saves of all time.
He flung himself to his right and, in a feat which seemed to defy the laws of physics, somehow managed with one hand not only to keep Pele's powerful downward header out, but also flick the ball over the bar.
Banks lost the sight in his right eye after being injured in a road accident in 1972 and retired at the age of 34 as a result.
Gordon Banks was pictured alongside fellow 1966 World Cup heroes Jack Charlton, Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst during a special dinner at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in 2006
Along with a World Cup-winner's medal, Banks' 73-cap CV featured six FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year awards.
It also showed notable success at club level, with two League Cup wins, with Leicester in 1964 and Stoke in 1972.
Not bad for someone who was discarded by Rawmarsh Welfare as a 15-year-old after two games that had seen him let in 15 goals.
Banks also helped Leicester reach four cup finals, suffering FA Cup defeats in 1961 to Tottenham and 1963 to Manchester United, celebrating his first piece of silverware in 1964 with victory over Stoke in the League Cup, and then losing to Chelsea in that competition in 1965.
His England career also began during that period, his senior debut coming in 1963 against Scotland at Wembley.
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