The Gordon Banks Monument Committee are delighted to announce plans to honour former Stoke City and England goalkeeper Gordon Banks OBE, with a major triple statue.

The legendary Brazil striker Pele, a life-long admirer and friend of Banks, has agreed to unveil the 1st Phase of the monument on July 12, 2008, at the Britannia Stadium.

The unveiling will be accompanied by a Gordon Banks XI vs. Pele XI Charity Football Game which aims to turn the memory of 'That Save', made by Banks from Pele in the 1970 Mexico World Cup, into saving lives in Africa.

The match will also be a celebration of the choice of South Africa for the 2010 World Cup and will recall the role of two famous Stoke-on-Trent sons, Josiah Wedgwood and Sir Stanley Matthews in their respective roles of ending Slavery and teaching children in Apartheid South Africa to play soccer.

To help celebrate the occasion the Nobel Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, has agreed to attend the game, as Assistant Manager to Pele.

Several celebrities have already endorsed the concept. These include: Westlife singer Nicky Byrne, Actor James Nesbitt and Oscar Nominated Film Director, Paul Greengrass. In addition, the Secretary of State for Pensions, James Purnell, has indicated his wish to play in the game.

Two gala dinners are also pencilled in for July 11th and 12^th in Stoke and Manchester. Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Gordon Banks' boyhood heroes Bert Trautmann and Bert Williams, will be amongst the guests of honour at a gala dinner on the 11th, while Pele will be the guest of honour at a gala dinner on the 12^th.

In addition to funding the statue, the Gordon Banks Monument Committee aims to raise additional funding for charity and to support the regeneration of Stoke on Trent.

Chairman of the Gordon Banks Committee Don Mullan says: "As a child Gordon Banks and Stoke City Football Club filled me with hope and imagination. This project is motivated by gratitude to both."

Stoke City Chief Executive Tony Scholes adds: "Stoke City are honoured to be able to locate the statue here at the Britannia Stadium of the great hero Gordon Banks.

"The charity match will be a wonderful festival and hopefully raise awareness and money for all the causes involved on the day."

Andrew Edwards, of Staffordshire's Creative County Studios, has already begun sculpting the monument in the main reception area of the Britannia Stadium.

Other events are planned and will be revealed in the coming weeks.