Banks hails Brit crowd as loudest

Banks played for Stoke from 1966 to 1972, making 198 appearances

Stoke City club president Gordon Banks says the crowd at the Britannia Stadium are louder than anything he played in front of for the Potters or England.

Stoke's fans have been recorded at 101.8 decibels, the equivalent of a jumbo jet at take-off.

Banks told BBC Radio Stoke: "I can't remember playing in front of a crowd that made as much noise.

"If you compare that to 70,000 at Old Trafford, and we can out-shout them, that really is saying something."

Banks played in the 1966 World Cup final at Wembley in front of 98,000 and in front of a crowd of 135,000 at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 1969.

"As an ex-player, having the crowd behind you the way that Stoke's have been it doesn't half make a difference," added the former Chesterfield and Leicester City keeper.

Speaking at the launch of the Stoke City Old Boys Association, Banks also paid tribute to the work current City manager Tony Pulis has done this season.

"Everybody said they'd go straight back down again, but now it looks like they'll stay in there, which would be a tremendous feat," said Banks.

"When he came back to the club, there were a lot of people who were saying they weren't sure about him, but he's done a great job."