World Cup

Gordon Banks: 'Jack Butland should be number one'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 10 October 2017

Former England goalkeeper Gordon Banks insists that Stoke City's Jack Butland should be Gareth Southgate's number one stopper for the 2018 World Cup.

Former England goalkeeper Gordon Banks has claimed that Stoke City's Jack Butland should be Gareth Southgate's number one for the 2018 World Cup.

Butland, 24, was given the chance to impress during England's final World Cup qualifier against Lithuania on Sunday night.

The cap was Butland's sixth for the Three Lions, but he is still behind on-loan Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart when it comes to the pecking order.

Banks, who represented England on 73 occasions between 1963 and 1972, has said that Butland should "definitely" be the nation's number one due to his form since returning from a long-term injury.

"He's definitely our number one as far as I'm concerned. I would love to see it and would be so proud of him. When I think of Joe Hart I think of his age and how he's playing, then I look at Jack and definitely think he should be the one playing now," the Stoke Sentinel quotes Banks as saying.

"Whether Jack is the man next summer depends on how many starts he gets for England between now and then. If the manager thinks he's got it in him to be number one, then he will bang him into the friendly matches to have a real good look at him and to make sure he's ready. But if he keeps with Joe Hart, that won't be great news for Jack."

England will return to action with friendlies against Germany and Brazil at Wembley next month.