News about Gordon Banks

Sir Geoff Hurst has spoken of the 'extreme sadness' he feels when he sees a picture of England's 1966 World Cup winners - with the hat-trick hero now the only surviving member. Hurst famously scored three as Sir Alf Ramsey's side beat West Germany 4-2 at Wembley to win the national men's team's only major trophy 58 years ago. The death of Sir Bobby Charlton at the age of 86 last October following a battle with dementia left Hurst - who spent the bulk of his career at West Ham - as the only remaining hero of 1966.

EXCLUSIVE BY MATT BARLOW: Jimmy Rimmer reaches out a hand and apologises for the state of his grip. 'Like the hands you see in horror films,' he says drily, running a finger along some of the artificial joints. 'It's not pretty is it? That's plastic in there, and that, and that's been frozen,' explains the 76-year-old former Manchester United, Arsenal and Aston Villa goalkeeper. 'At least I'm still alive,' he laughs. 'They only gave me two days to live, you know.' This seems like a good place to start. Rimmer was living in Vancouver when he suffered a heart attack, collapsing as he climbed out of his Jeep on a routine trip to the bank.

IAN HERBERT: Pele, the 25-year-old boy who stepped out from a wooden cabin on Scotland's west coast in 1966, was immaculately dressed as the Brazilian football team was back then, boots polished to a shine, and white towel in hand. He was already a superstar on his own when he competed for the Jules Rimet trophy on English soil in July, but the Brazilian team had to prepare for Troon's improvable surrounds. The climate was supposed to suit them, but the Marine, a fine hotel, was still standing two miles up the road today, although it was not made clear that it would. They were unemployed, according to the news. It was the talk of a hosiery factory near Kilmarnock, where Elsie Cook, a knitter, became aware of the alert when one of the company's mechanics noticed it while trying to repair one of the machines.

ALAN MULLERY: Brazil shirts have always been yellow and green. The shorts have always been blue. Why would you change that unless you had no option? I can't believe it. Is it about the money? Ah, because I'm afraid when money comes into play, it's all makes sense. These colors represent Brazil and nobody else. Many football shirts aren't about to say so, but you can't say that about them.

BRITAIN VINER: If all goes according to plan, Jordan Pickford will become England's fifth most-capped goalkeeper, defeating Ray Clemence and the mighty Gordon Banks. But does the Everton No 1 get even half the respect Clemence received for his sterling international service, let alone Banks? Far from it.

Imagine a world where Lionel Messi could keep the goal like Gordon Banks. Where Chris Froome could win titles both on a mountain bike and a motorized one on the Isle of Man, or where Lewis Hamilton sandwiched Formula One races between hoovering up world rally championships. What price would you pay for such glorious all-round talent?How about $700million?Todd Boehly's resume in Chelsea's transfer market leaves a lot to be desired, but with his latest capture, he might be right on the money.

In her team's 3-2 loss to Fenerbahce on Monday, Besiktas midfielder Donjeta Halilaj scored one of the season's most controversial goals. Fenerbahce goalkeeper Goknur Guleryuz snuck out from behind, dragged the ball out of her hand and cranked it into the unattended net to halve the deficit, with the final seconds ticking down and her side boasting a convincing 3-1 lead.

Sir Bobby Charlton's death at the age of 86 leaves only one surviving member of England's 1966 World Cup final triumph over Germany. Sir Geoff Hurst, the team's longest player from the side that famously defeated West Germany 4-2 after extra time at Wembley, is now the only living player from the team. Sir Bobby's family reported his death on Saturday.

Despite being sick, the 1966 World Cup winner bravely posed for snaps as he obtained his coronavirus vaccine in 2021. Sir Bobby, who was dressed in a white shirt and red jacket as he held an NHS leaflet about the jabs. It came a year after his wife Norma announced that the footballer had been diagnosed with the illness, which also claimed the lives of his brother Jack in 2020. Lady Norma, Suzanne and Andrea, and his grandchildren are the England and Manchester United players.

BY MATT BARLOW: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: During Sir Alf Ramsey's call to Alan Mullery, the England team was in Rio de Janeiro and gave instructions to hold Pele private. 'You'd know he wasn't a man who said a lot if you'd attended any of Alf's press conferences,' Mullery says. "Get out there and get in his shorts, follow him everywhere, because if they lose him and we lose you, we will win." "I followed him everywhere, and when halftime came, I followed him into Brazil's dressing room.' As I came out, Alf wanted to know where I had been. I told him I'd been doing what he asked!'

BY JEFF POWELL – The genius who was otherwise unknown as Pele was born with the gift of amazement. Residents of a poverty-stricken barrio in Sao Paulo would scream as a child from the shanty next door pulled off magical feats in a dusty street with either a rolled up sock or a grapefruit. Goals were from nowhere for Santos first team's 15-year-old boy whose family could not afford a football. He was 16, and he was playing for Brazil at the age of 17. He had scored six goals in four matches in Sweden 1958, becoming Sweden's youngest ever World Cup champion. Pele was only just getting off, but it was just getting off.