Stoke City: Gordon Banks tribute - Le Tissier's honoured to play part

MATT Le Tissier scored 49 of his 50 career penalties – but none of those was against Gordon Banks.

Le Tissier won't have to beat the Stoke and England legend on Saturday, but will still feel in awe as he captains Banks's team against Pele's XI at the Britannia Stadium.

Le Tissier said: “When I was first asked to play in the game, I was chuffed to bits.

“There was no way I could refuse the chance to meet Pele and Gordon Banks – much less play for them. It's a fantastic honour and something I'm really looking forward to.

“Even though I was always happy to make a goalkeeper look bad, I always had a great amount of respect for Gordon Banks, and, as with Pele, it's a great honour to be involved with him.

“He is one of the most well-known footballers of his generation and the save he made from Pele at the 1970 World Cup is still something that lives long in everyone's memory. It'll also be interesting and a little surreal to see the two of them together.”

Le Tissier was a one-year-old when Banks made 'that' save to deny Pele in the World Cup finals in Mexico 1970.

Le Tissier added: “He's a player that, as we all know, is rated incredibly highly, not only by football fans and supporters, but by players of past and present.

“I only caught the end of Pele's career, but heard plenty of tales about him. To be able to meet him is something I'll never forget.”

The event – Banks of England, a Celebration of Sport for Peace – is part of a tribute accompanying the unveiling of a statue of World Cup winner Banks by Pele and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Receipts from the game will benefit six charities – helping people in Britain and Africa.

Le Tissier added: “These days, football is a powerful social medium and we should use that to get positive messages across.

“Football is now a worldwide game, carrying a huge profile, and if players, or anyone connected in the game can help to spread a message of peace, we should definitely do so.

“It's appropriate that a club with such a great history and connected with Gordon Banks should host such an event,

“It's only right there should be a statue of him at the Britannia Stadium, as he contributed so much to Stoke City and the area of Stoke-on-Trent. He deserves to be immortalised alongside the statue of Sir Stan Matthews.”

Le Tissier will skipper a side which includes former Nottingham Forest striker Junior Agogo, who starred for Ghana in this year's African Cup of Nations.

Also on the Banks team are Alistair Campbell, the PR guru, actor Stephen Graham and X Factor winner Shayne Ward.

On the bench will be author Don Mullan, the driving force behind Saturday's event.

Lining up for Pele will be skipper Michael Le Vell, who will be joined by his fellow Coronation Street stars Alan Halsall and Ryan Thomas.

Hollyoaks actors Jamie Lomas and Ricky Whittle have made selection, as has former Cold Feet star James Nesbitt.

The stars of showbiz will be helped by former Liverpool defender Alan Kennedy and ex-Man City star Asa Hartford.

Banks will be assisted by Tony Pulis, while Pele's management team includes Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Tickets cost £12 for adults and £6 for under-16s, while family tickets (two adults and two children) are £30 each. They can be booked on 0871 663 2007.