Stoke City’s Jack Butland will wear a commemorative jersey in honour of former England goalkeeper Gordon Banks who passed away earlier this month.
Banks played at Stoke for six years before his first retirement from the game in 1973 and the Potters paid tribute to their former shotstopper with chairman Peter Coates saying it was an absolute privilege to watch Banks play for the club.
What our number one will be wearing against Aston Villa tomorrow.
No badge, no sponsor, no name.
Remembering Gordon Banks OBE. pic.twitter.com/Vlg6aDR8f8
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) February 22, 2019
Coates said on the club’s website:
“Gordon was an iconic figure not only in English football but across the globe and it’s deeply sad that we have lost him.
“It’s not just people of my generation who know how good a goalkeeper he was – people of all ages talked about Gordon reverentially. He was outstanding and it was an absolute privilege to watch him playing for Stoke City.
“He was also a keen advocate for our city, which he made his adopted home, and he will be sadly missed by local people from all walks of life, not just football fans.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to Gordon’s wife Ursula, his three children Robert, Wendy and Julia and the rest of the Banks family at this time.”
