The legendary England goalkeeper passed away this month aged 81 and will be remembered in Saturday’s Championship game between the two teams.
Stoke City have announced that goalkeeper Jack Butland will wear a one-off, specially commissioned shirt in Saturday’s Championship home game with Aston Villa in tribute to the legendary Gordon Banks, who died this month aged 81.
Banks, who helped England win the 1966 World Cup, played for the Potters between 1967 and 1972, winning the League Cup with them against Chelsea in 1972, and was a prominent figure around the club in retirement after being appointed president in 2000 following the death of Sir Stanley Matthews.
The shirt that Banks wore on that triumphant March 1972 day at Wembley Stadium was an all-green number, which Stoke’s kit suppliers have recreated, and Butland will wear it alongside plain white shorts and white socks.
The EFL gave the club special permission for the kit not to feature a badge or sponsor – only the No 1 will be on the back of the shirt, and there is a small message sewn into the bottom corner, which reads: ‘Gordon Banks, RIP, 30/12/1937-12/02/2019.’
Stoke confirmed the news on Twitter with a tribute video:
Villa, who will be playing away at Stoke, paid tribute to the gesture on Twitter, as did England:
The club will be holding a minute’s silence before kickoff, with members of the Banks family in attendance, as well as teammates from Stoke’s victorious League Cup-winning side.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
