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Statue of Gordon Banks at the build at Britannia Stadium

Don Mullan, author of Gordon Banks: A Hero Who Could Fly, has unveiled the plans and an appeal for fundraising to erect a statue of Gordon Banks, 1966 England goalkeeper, which will stand at the Britannia Stadium, in Stoke. The statue will cost £350,000 to build. Anyone wishing to donate money towards its completion can do so at any branch of the Britannia Building Society.

To launch the appeal Don Mullan has given 5000 copies of this book ‘Gordon Banks: A Hero Who Could Fly’. Anyone donating over £10 at one of the main Stoke Branches of Britannia will receive a copy.

The finished statue will see Gordon Banks in two different goalkeeping poses, one of the famous save against Pele, the other of the save at Wembley against Charlton when he was goalkeeper for Stoke City. The third figure will be at ground level and will be of Banks holding the World Cup above his head for people to have their photographs taken with.

Gordon Banks, when asked how he felt about the statue, said ‘I am very, very proud to have been picked out for this statue. There has been such wonderful goalkeeping in my lifetime and I feel this honour recognises all the goalkeepers and the important job they do. I feel this is for all of them as well’.

The statue has been designed and will be cast by, local sculptor, Andy Edwards, who has also sculpted statues of other football legends such as Sir Stanley Matthews.

This will be the only statue of a goalkeeper that has ever been erected in the United Kingdom. After his performance in the 1966 World Cup, Banks was regarded as the world’s number one goalkeeper. A title he proved he deserved after he made what is considered to be an impossible save against Pele in the 1970 World Cup.

For more information please contact Mandy Castle on 01538 391701, mobile 07737616508, email amanda.castle@britannia.co.uk.

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