The most revered goalkeeper in the history of English football was Gordon Banks, who spent a decade (73 caps, 1963-72) manning the net for the Three Lions highlighted by starting every match of England's thrilling 1966 FIFA World Cup victory on home soil. Considered one of the greatest keepers of all time in any era, he made 679 appearances during a 20-year club career primarily with Leicester City and Stoke City in the Premier League. His finest individual moment came at the 1970 World Cup when he made the "Save of the Century", robbing Pelé of a powerful header that looked destined for the back of the net and preserving a 0-0 draw against Brazil.

Presented here is one of Banks' match worn England goalie jerseys dating to the mid-1960's during the peak of his career. The long-sleeve shirt is constructed of golden yellow heavyweight cotton with ribbed cuffs and a ribbed crew collar — the traditional England goalkeeper colorway of the period. The left chest bears the embroidered Three Lions crest in blue and red, appropriately aged and frayed while still retaining excellent color and detail. The back has a large "1" — the starting goalkeeper's number — in red block style. Properly tagged by manufacturer Umbro within the collar (no size given), the English apparel brand's logo is applied to the right tail. The well-worn shirt has ample fabric pilling and fading of the Umbro logo from repeated wash cycles after multiple matches. According to our research, the only 1960's Banks England match shirt auctioned in the past sold for £5,250 in 2019 ($7,000 at that time). Includes letters of authenticity from MEARS.

The Football Scout Collection
Our consignor holds one of the most impressive vintage football jersey collections known to exist. Once a star amateur player, he later worked as a scout for multiple clubs and national teams, prospecting young football talent across the globe. Through his experience and unique connections, he procured almost every item directly from players or kitmen.