Goalkeeper Gordon was one of the heroes of the 1966 World Cup, when England beat Germany at Wembley to win the Jules Rimet trophy. He is recognised as one of the greatest goalies of all time.
He was born in Abbeydale in December 1937 but the family moved to Ferrars Road, Tinsley when he was a baby. Gordon was spotted by Chesterfield FC when he was playing for local side Millspaugh. He also played for Leicester and Stoke, where he later became club president, and in the USA, as well as coaching.
Gordon, who died in 2019, spearheaded Sheffield’s bid to bring 2018 World Cup matches to the city and would no doubt have been hugely proud of the current England team and its trio of Sheffield players.
Here’s to the World Cup 2022 and to the Lionesses in the Women’s Euro championships next July, when some games will be played in Sheffield and Rotherham.