Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter by email with the day's key headlines and transfer news Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Thousands of people lined the streets of Stoke as the city paid its final respects to England's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks.

Banks died at the age of 81 on February 12, and his funeral was held at Stoke Minster on Monday afternoon, the 47th anniversary of the club's League Cup final victory over Chelsea in which he played.

The service, which was by invitation only, was also shown on a big screen at the Potters' bet365 Stadium, where club captain Ryan Shawcross and teammates Joe Allen, Bruno Martins Indi, Charlie Adam, Tom Edwards and Mame Diouf formed a guard of honour along with members of the 1972 side.

A five-car funeral cortege passed through Stoke's stadium, stopping at the pitchside dugout for a few minutes, to sustained applause from the assembled crowd.

(Image: Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

Jack Butland, Joe Anyon and Kasper Schmeichel, the current goalkeepers at the three English clubs Banks played for - Stoke, Chesterfield and Leicester – as well as former England No 1 Joe Hart served as pallbearers.

Sir Geoff Hurst and Sir Bobby Charlton, who alongside Banks won the 1966 World Cup with England, were among those seen arriving for the funeral.

Former goalkeepers Pat Jennings, Ray Clemence and David Seaman attended the service together, while Banks family had earlier arrived at the 30,000-seater bet365 Stadium to await the arrival of the funeral cortege.

(Image: REUTERS) (Image: Andy Stenning/Daily Mirror)

Sheffield-born Banks made 510 league appearances for Chesterfield, Leicester and Stoke, but it was on the international stage that he established himself as a star.

Banks won 73 senior caps, and famously starred in the 4-2 World Cup final victory over West Germany in 1966.

However, he will probably be best remembered for his heroics in Mexico four years later when he made the breathtaking save which was to define his career when he somehow managed to turn Brazil star Pele's header over the crossbar.

(Image: Getty Images) (Image: PA)

The ball appeared to be past Banks, but his agility and strength saw him get down and palm it high and wide to safety.

Thirty-eight years later, Pele travelled to Stoke to unveil a statue to Banks and recalled the save.

“From the moment I headed it, I was sure it had gone in,” he said.

(Image: AFP/Getty Images)

“After I headed the ball, I had already began to jump to celebrate the goal. Then I looked back and I couldn’t believe it hadn’t gone in," he said.

"I have scored more than a thousand goals in my life, and the thing people always talk to me about is the one I didn’t score."

(Image: Getty Images) (Image: REUTERS)

Banks recalled the moment modestly as a piece of good fortune.

“As soon as I got my hand to it, I thought it was going in the top corner,” he said.

“But after I’d landed on the hard floor, I looked up and saw the ball bounce behind the net and that’s when I said: Banksy, you lucky prat.”

(Image: PA)

The Sheffield-born Banks began his career at Chesterfield in 1958 and moved to Leicester City the following year. He won his first England cap in 1963, four years before he joined Stoke.

Banks retired in 1973 following a car crash, aged only 33, but four years later he returned to play in the North American Soccer League with Fort Lauderdale Strikers.