Gordon Banks that Stoke had actually made the payment, not Leicester. Waddington valued good goalkeepers highly, and the two built up a close relationship. During this time, Banks moved to Madeley, Staffordshire. He replaced John Farmer as the club's number one, and kept goal in the last four games of the 1966–67 season, making his home debut at the Victoria Ground in a 3–1 win over his former club Leicester. Banks fitted in well at Stoke, as Waddington built a team of veteran players who were judged by some to be past their best. The Potters struggled near the foot of the
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