Knighthoods cannot be awarded posthumously, so ex-Stoke players are petitioning for law to be changed
Tuesday 19 February 2019 10:15, UK
Gordon Banks' former team-mates have organised an online petition to help get him awarded a posthumous knighthood.
The former England, Stoke, Leicester and Chesterfield goalkeeper, who died at the age of 81 last Monday, was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1970.
He was due to be knighted but a government administration error caused a delay that was not corrected before his death.
Banks' former Stoke team-mates, with whom he won the League Cup in 1972, led the campaign to see him recognised, putting in an application more than two years ago, but the paperwork was lost by officers at the Main Honours Committee.
Knighthoods cannot be awarded posthumously but those same players have set up a petition calling for a change in the law.
Speaking outside the bet365 Stadium where the petition was launched, Denis Smith said: "I don't think there is any doubt that we feel strongly about it.
"We're talking about the greatest ever goalkeeper by a long way, anybody in football would agree with that, but also the work he did for charity in North Staffs and South Cheshire.
"The man was out constantly working. He would be upset that we are going to these lengths because he would have more dignity and he would be saying 'calm down lads'.
"He was one of those people that when you were with him, greatness just shone out of him.
"Should he have had a knighthood back as 1966? That's a matter of opinion as far as football is concerned but it is what he has done in the community that he deserves something for as well.
"He deserved to be recognised and we all call him Sir Gordon anyway so from our point of view we think it would be right if they could come up with some way of making that happen."
Another team-mate Jimmy Greenhoff added: "It's just sad, he should be knighted as a man never mind a footballer.
"We feel very strongly about it. He was just such a great guy and he deserved a knighthood and I think everyone expected him to get it apart from the powers that be."
