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Billy Bonds was the salt of the earth. Namely the earth under his feet at Upton Park where he served as player, coach and manager for West Ham throughout a remarkably unique 27 years.
A loyal, humble, committed, essential foundation stone of the Hammers through that quarter of a century with a club who loved him as much he loved everything about them.
You don’t have to be a totally one club man to become part of the fabric and the folklore. You just have to find your spiritual home. For Bonds that required a quick-fire £47,500 transfer from Charlton and a quick drive through Blackwall Tunnel in the spring of 1967.
Thus began a playing career encompassing 799 first team appearances, the last at the age of 41, followed by a spell as coach and culminating in being swept into the manager’s office on a groundswell of demand by the supporters that he be given the job.
All a far cry from this modern era when superstars hold successions of clubs to ransom as they shuttle from team to team in search of ever more millions.
As he surveyed that landscape in later life Bonds said: ‘I would have happily carried on playing football on the parks and consider myself lucky to have been paid to kick a ball.’ To which he might have added ‘and to clatter a few opponents.’
Billy Bonds was the family-loving 'Lion Heart' of West Ham; he was the salt of the earth
He was not a one-club man but found his spiritual home with the Hammers, who he felt lucky to play for
He was unlucky not to play for England but is a legend at West Ham, where he won two FA Cups
West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen lays down a shirt in tribute to Bonds before playing Liverpool
Not for nothing was he called ‘Lion Heart’ by the Claret and Blues faithful. There were games, whether he was playing at full back and then rampaging in midfield, that he seemed to chase down and tackle every member of the other team. His stamina was born of absolute dedication. First into training. First, by a country mile, in the wintry cross country runs.
Perhaps most significantly of all, first out of the showers after matches, win or lose, and into the car with his dad for the drive home to south London. There to watch Match of the Day while most of his team mates were out either celebrating or drowning their sorrows.
Bonds was the quintessential family man. The other great loves of his life were his late wife Marilyn, daughters Claire and Katie and then granddaughters Eloise and Elissa.
No limelight. Simply devotion to the things that mattered most. That was the Billy Bonds who had a stand named after him at the old Boleyn ground. The Billy Bonds who was fondly remembered before this Sunday’s home game against Liverpool at the London Stadium. A homage which would have embarrassed this very private man.
The Billy Bonds who, upon succeeding Bobby Moore as captain, said: ‘I can’t believe that I’m following in the footsteps of the man I idolised from the day I met him for the first time when I was only 14.’
But for an injury before he was due to make his international debut against Brazil, Bonzo would have followed Mooro into the England team. That misfortune spared West Ham from paying a $2,500 add-on fee for Bonds had he won that cap he deserved but craved in vain.
He did follow his hero up the steps at Wembley Stadium as he captained the Hammers to two FA Cup glories, one against Moore’s subsequent club Fulham.
As manager he restored West Ham to the pre-Premier League First Division after they lost one of their rather repetitive fights against relegation.
Football salutes Private Billy. Gone at 79 but not to be forgotten.
