Stoke City F.C. Jimmy McIlroy were all players signed in the latter stages of their careers. Matthews was awarded a knighthood for services to football in the 1965 New Year's Honours list. This was followed by his final appearance for the club against Fulham in February 1965, shortly after his 50th birthday. Gordon Banks, England's 1966 World Cup-winning goalkeeper, joined in 1967 for £52,000 from Leicester. Regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world, Banks proved to be a shrewd signing for Waddington as he helped the club maintain stability in the First Division. During the close season of 1967, Stoke City played
History of Leicester City F.C. 1966, one of the club's most famous players, Gordon Banks, who played for eight years at Leicester, represented England at the FIFA World Cup, where he helped England become world champions and was also nominated for the Ballon d'Or, for European Football of the Year, still to this date, the only Leicester player to be nominated for that award. After a bad start to the season and a bout of illness, Matt Gillies resigned in November 1968. His successor, Frank O'Farrell, was unable to prevent relegation, but the club reached the 1969 FA Cup Final for the final time to