Motherwell 1-0 Stoke City: World's greatest goalkeeper Gordon Banks defeated at Fir Park 50 years ago

A magnificent first-leg display by ’Well in front of 14,450 fans at a packed Fir Park on September 14, 1970, saw the Steelmen prevail 1-0, thanks to John Goldthorp’s strike.

Although the English side won 2-1 in the return leg in the Potteries a few weeks later to force extra time and penalties, ’Well shaded the shootout 4-3, with Goldthorp scoring the decisive penalty.

Recalling the first leg in North Lanarkshire, Goldthorp, 72, said: “The atmosphere was absolutely electric in Fir Park that night.

“It was one of those nights where you couldn’t help but give your best.

“Stoke had beaten Leeds United – the top team in England at that time – the previous weekend. They did have a really good side at that time.

“I felt I played well in that game. Banks produced a number of world-class saves.

“As far as the goal was concerned, there was a high ball played upfield which Dixie Deans won in the air. He wasn’t a big guy, Dixie, but he always was very good in the air.

“He flicked the ball on and it was heading for the left corner of the penalty box.

“Banks decided to come for it, but I always felt I was going to get to it before him.

“He made a dive for the ball as I was running onto it and the ball ended up rolling into the net at the right-hand side of the goal. I had got to it first and basically put it past him with my left foot.

“I took great satisfaction from scoring against Banks. He was out of this world. He’d made unbelievable saves from myself and other Motherwell players that night.

“That was one of our best performances of the season that night. All the Motherwell players were really up for it.”

Further drama followed in the second leg in front of 15,779 fans on September 30, 1970, with the game going all the way to a shootout in which ’Well keeper Keith MacRae saved two Stoke spotkicks before Goldthorp slotted home the winner. Banks did not play in that return tie.

“My memories of that game are that I played well again,” he added. “I think Dixie scored our goal but I’m not sure about that.

“It went all the way to penalties, and I wasn’t down to take a penalty. When it was 3-3 and sudden death, the ball was basically just thrown to me by manager Bobby Howitt and I was told ‘you’re taking the next penalty’.

“I wouldn’t have been human if I wasn’t feeling nervous, but what I was determined to do was make sure I hit the target.

“Dixie had missed his penalty by blazing the ball over the bar. I had made my mind up that I was going to put it to the goalkeeper’s left-hand side, and basically I was on automatic pilot. The goalkeeper went the wrong way and I put it into the net.

“I went back to the centre and Keith MacRae then saved the next penalty that Stoke took.

“There was wild jubilation that we’d managed to put a top English team out. The celebrations that night were good.”

The Steelmen then sensationally beat English heavyweights Tottenham Hotspur 5-4 on aggregate in the quarter-finals but were defeated 3-2 on aggregate by Hearts in the semi-finals.