1966–67 Stoke City F.C. season within the next twelve months. In the summer of 1966 Waddington secured the services of former Newcastle United winger George Eastham from Arsenal for £35,000. The other was goalkeeper Gordon Banks who was snapped up for a bargain £52,000 from Leicester City in April 1967. Matt Gillies, the Leicester manager was coming under considerable pressure to play his young reserve Peter Shilton and decided to sell the 29-year-old Banks to Stoke. It is widely considered that this was a 'steal' as Banks carried on to play for England for another five years. Banks left English football in 1972 and ironically
Gordon Banks had three children. He separated from Ursula during his time in America, but the couple reunited when Banks returned to England. Banks' nephew is Nick Banks, drummer of the band Pulp. Shortly after his retirement, Banks was surprised by Eamonn Andrews for an episode of "This Is Your Life". He later fronted a Leicester based hospitality company. He lost a significant sum of money when the business failed, but was helped out by Leicester City, who offered him a belated testimonial match. He was appointed as Stoke City's president following the death of Stanley Matthews. Since the 1980s he has