Leicester had the two best goalkeepers in the World a number of years back. Gordon Banks surely the ultimate number one during the 60’s and early 70’s and then Peter Shilton took over the gloves as the certian England number 1.
Banks played 73 times for England, 37 of them as a Leicester player. He won the World Cup in 66, and had a brilliant career at Stoke several years after his time at Filbert Street. League Cup winner with Leicester and Stoke.
Peter Shilton had other pleasures in life as his account of trophies included one League trophy, two European Cup trophies, and also a League Cup winners medal. He also ended runners-up in the league with Southampton, playing alongside his former Leicester team mates Frank Worthington and Dennis Rofe, all at The Dell in that special 1983-84 season.
A total of 125 caps for England still stands as a record, 20 of those coming during his time at Leicester, making his debut in 1970 vs. East Germany. He came close to a medal during the 1990 World Cup, but the penalty shoot out defeat to Germany and later losing the bronze to Italy, stopped it all from happening.
England have in the days after Banks and Shilton struggled to find a goalkeeper seen as World class, with David Seaman (75 caps), David James (53) and Jordan Pickford (52) not really up to the standards of the two former Leicester goallies.
The race to find a goalkeeper with the Banks / Shilton potential has always been there, but in some way those who have been playing in the England youth World winning teams, such as Andy Woodman, Billy Crellin and Josef Bursik are not yet blossomed to a level that would put them in a category of those previous top stars.
Then to watch England U.16 current goalkeeper Spike Brits in their latest interntaional tournament, going all the way and Brits being pivotal and heavily involved in that happening, you can see why Manchester City are in the race to sign the 15 year old from AFC Wimbledon.
Still early days, but not far from the age of Peter Shilton when he made his full debut at Leicester, 16 years of age in a game vs. Everton in 1966. He was a first team regular as a teenager, when Leicester decided to sell Gordon Banks to Stoke a year later, 1967.
So one name to look out for going forward is surely Spike Brits.
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