Moore had been captain when West Ham gained the FA Cup in 1964 then the European Cup Winners’ Cup a yr later. Bonds virtually emulated the achievement when he was captain as West Ham reached the European Cup Winners’ Cup Remaining in 1976, dropping 4-2 to Anderlecht.
In addition to these FA Cup wins, he led West Ham again into the previous First Division on the finish of the 1980/81 season, a marketing campaign throughout which in addition they misplaced to Liverpool within the League Cup Remaining after a replay.
It was not simply group honours he collected throughout that point. Bonds, who gained the coveted “Hammer Of The Yr” 4 occasions, was handed the Skilled Footballers’ Affiliation Advantage award in 1988, and likewise obtained the MBE for companies to soccer in the identical yr.
Bonds was named because the membership’s greatest-ever participant by West Ham followers in 2018.
The truth that Bonds by no means gained a full England cap has been a supply of competition for many years, notably amongst West Ham supporters, his identify additionally positioned alongside the likes of Manchester United’s Steve Bruce and Everton midfield man Howard Kendall amongst those that by no means gained the accolade.
Bonds was an unused substitute when England, along with his former West Ham supervisor Ron Greenwood in cost, beat Italy 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley in November 1977.
He missed out narrowly once more in Could 1981 when he was in line for choice for England’s pleasant in opposition to Brazil at Wembley, solely to maintain damaged ribs in a conflict along with his personal goalkeeper Phil Parkes on the finish of the season, ruling him out.
The chance by no means got here once more.
He was appointed West Ham supervisor in February 1990, succeeding Lou Macari, subsequently taking the membership again into the top-flight.
Bonds was additionally in cost when West Ham reached the FA Cup semi-final in 1991, however West Ham by no means recovered from Tony Gale’s controversial first-half sending off, dropping 4-0 to Nottingham Forest.
West Ham have been relegated in 1992, however the membership stored religion with Bonds and he introduced them again into the brand new Premier League a yr later.
Bonds’ 27-year profession at West Ham led to 1994, when he was succeeded at West Ham by Harry Redknapp.
He returned to administration with West Ham’s fierce rivals Millwall in Could 1997, however it was a short-lived, unsuccessful spell and he left the next yr.
It is going to at all times be West Ham’s identify that’s inexorably hooked up to Bonds. He was introduced with the membership’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the primary time it was introduced, in 2013 and was visibly emotional when the membership re-named the East Stand on the London Stadium in his honour in February 2019.
In distinction to the combative captain on the sphere, Bonds was a non-public household man away from it. They have been at his aspect, together with many former colleagues, as he was moved to tears when he addressed West Ham’s followers after the re-naming of the stand.
Bonds was an all-action, versatile participant who blended exceptional health, a fiercely aggressive nature and talent right into a potent mixture that was on the coronary heart of every thing he and West Ham did.
Soccer followers of a sure age, particularly at West Ham, will conjure up immediate pictures of the bearded Bonds, caked in mud from the 70s and 80s pitches, socks rolled down and his head often bandaged up – however at all times prepared to hold the combat to the opposition.
Billy Bonds was a captain, participant and supervisor who will at all times be remembered when the historical past of West Ham is written.
