MERSEYSIDE supporters will pay their respects to the great Gordon West at Liverpool Cathedral on Monday (12noon).
And fans from further afield – including his native Barnsley, will travel to say farewell to a much loved goalkeeper.
It’s part of Goodison folklore now how big Westy first came to pull on a pair of goalkeeping gloves.
As the school picture (above) shows, Gordon was a budding centre-forward before Blackpool offered a school pal a trial.
Keith Rennie had been invited for a trial at Bloomfield Road, then home of top flight Blackpool, and was told he could take a friend along.
He invited Gordon and asked “What position shall I tell them you play?” Tell them goalkeeper,” replied West, to the astonishment of his pal.
“I’d never played there,” West later recalled “But I’d always had a longing to.”
That longing became a celebrated career.
Norman Amalfi kindly supplied us with the photograph of West from his schooldays.
The picture shows the Darfield Church School football team and Norman explained: “Gordon was one of the stars, but as a centre forward, he wasn't a goalkeeper in those days.
“Gordon is centre front row.”
Gordon’s funeral service is at noon on Monday and will be followed by a private family cremation.
RIP Gordon West . . . one of the greats.
