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King Billy
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Eastside surge
- Posts: 180
- Old WHO Number: 213924
- Has liked: 95 times
- Been liked: 56 times
Re: King Billy
Will never ever forget the billy bonds claret and blue army chant against forest in the cup semi final at villa park. Even when I occasionally watch it back on YouTube it still sends a shiver down my spine, I’ve got a framed picture of billy and sir Trevor holding the cup aloft in 1980 hanging on my wall so I know billy is looking after me!
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Russ of the BML
- Posts: 1313
- Old WHO Number: 14551
- Has liked: 518 times
- Been liked: 506 times
Re: King Billy
Was at an event on Friday at my local social club where Tony Gale and Julian Dicks were the guests. It was a brilliant night. Galey is friends with a few of the members. Very intimate night. Not as much a Q&A but more like a conversation about everything West Ham. Galey and Julian were on form.
Gayley announced that he had heard Bonzo was 'not good'. He and a few other ex-players had tried to reach out to the family but had not had much back. He said the club had also tried but again hadn't got much if anything back.
Then Sunday the sad news came in. Was a shock.
Bonzo's last game for West Ham was in 1988. I was only 13. Before that I had only been to a dozen or so games as I relied on my mate's dad to take me. So I saw Bonzo play and as good as he still was, he was in his twilight when I did. Which was a shame for me. Would loved to have seen him play live when he was in his pomp.
Magnificent player and human.
RIP Bonzo.
Gayley announced that he had heard Bonzo was 'not good'. He and a few other ex-players had tried to reach out to the family but had not had much back. He said the club had also tried but again hadn't got much if anything back.
Then Sunday the sad news came in. Was a shock.
Bonzo's last game for West Ham was in 1988. I was only 13. Before that I had only been to a dozen or so games as I relied on my mate's dad to take me. So I saw Bonzo play and as good as he still was, he was in his twilight when I did. Which was a shame for me. Would loved to have seen him play live when he was in his pomp.
Magnificent player and human.
RIP Bonzo.
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Takashi Miike
- Posts: 3984
- Old WHO Number: 233644
- Has liked: 1158 times
- Been liked: 1518 times
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Massive Attack
- Posts: 7773
- Old WHO Number: 321955
- Has liked: 4521 times
- Been liked: 2393 times
Re: King Billy
Have had the honour of meeting Brooking, Hurst, Di Canio, Parkes and Noble out of that West Ham Royalty Bingo card. Sadly never got to meet Bonzo and of course Moore (although have a prized possession of a signed ball). Was amazing to see him celebrated for the Bonds Stand ceremony though when he was all choked up from the BML. Was such a special moment.
We've all been spoilt for Legends, Heros and Idols at our great Club.
Re: King Billy
And Alvin Martin
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Tomshardware
- Posts: 1166
- Old WHO Number: 266280
- Has liked: 561 times
- Been liked: 264 times
Re: King Billy
I started going a couple of years after Bonds had hung up his boots. He was in the dugout by then but I was brought up hearing about the players my dad and my Grandad watched. Obviously there was Bobby, Hurst, Peters, but the main 2 other players my dad would always wax lyrical about are Billy Bonds and Trevor Brooking, with Devonshire a close third. I watched a VHS I got in the club portacabin shop religiously, written and narrated by John Motson who seemed to have a great affection and respect for the club. Bonds featured heavily and I fell in love with this player who had an aura about him, the long hair and beard, no nonsense, hard but not dirty, a good footballer as well. He looked as though he'd just ran down from the terraces to put on the shirt and play. He was West Ham and as someone had written on another club's forum yesterday, he looked and played like a 'lion'.
There will never be another Billy Bonds.
There will never be another Billy Bonds.
Re: King Billy
cholo wrote: ↑02 Dec 2025, 06:12I noticed and apart from for the likes of Sir Bobby Chatlton and Jimmy Greaves, who were world class players, I don't think I've seen a reaction like it from opposing fans just showing the utmost respect. It shows you how special he was.
The greatest English player to never play for England, it's not just us saying that, ask all other fans who watched him play over the years countless times.
We played man u at home straight after George Best died, and west ham gave him a good send off. Bobby Charlton was very emotional and a bit surprised I thought, and thanked the fans. But yeah while Billy is a king to us, he wouldn't have been a household name, only proper football people outside west ham would appreciate him.
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oh dear II
- Posts: 37
- Has liked: 12 times
- Been liked: 27 times
Re: King Billy
honky cat" wrote: ↑01 Dec 2025, 19:19oh dear II" wrote: ↑01 Dec 2025, 14:02 She simply said, quite innocently, “When West Ham were great, he was the greatest.”
I absolutely love this. Your Mrs is a wise woman.
Thanks, she is indeed, she married me
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Takashi Miike
- Posts: 3984
- Old WHO Number: 233644
- Has liked: 1158 times
- Been liked: 1518 times
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Pub Bigot
- Posts: 883
- Old WHO Number: 255703
- Has liked: 1158 times
- Been liked: 429 times
Re: King Billy
cholo wrote: ↑02 Dec 2025, 06:12I noticed and apart from for the likes of Sir Bobby Chatlton and Jimmy Greaves, who were world class players, I don't think I've seen a reaction like it from opposing fans just showing the utmost respect. It shows you how special he was.
The greatest English player to never play for England, it's not just us saying that, ask all other fans who watched him play over the years countless times.
You're correct but I'll add Dennis Law as well
Re: King Billy
I noticed and apart from for the likes of Sir Bobby Chatlton and Jimmy Greaves, who were world class players, I don't think I've seen a reaction like it from opposing fans just showing the utmost respect. It shows you how special he was.
The greatest English player to never play for England, it's not just us saying that, ask all other fans who watched him play over the years countless times.
The greatest English player to never play for England, it's not just us saying that, ask all other fans who watched him play over the years countless times.
Re: King Billy
West Ham legends ranked.
1 Bobby Moore
2 Billy Bonds
3 Trevor Brooking
4 Geoff Hurst
5 Julian Dicks
6 Di Canio
7 Pop Robson
8 Ginger Pele
9 Phil Parkes
10 Mark Noble
11 Ray Stewart
Quite the line up.
1 Bobby Moore
2 Billy Bonds
3 Trevor Brooking
4 Geoff Hurst
5 Julian Dicks
6 Di Canio
7 Pop Robson
8 Ginger Pele
9 Phil Parkes
10 Mark Noble
11 Ray Stewart
Quite the line up.
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Tomshardware
- Posts: 1166
- Old WHO Number: 266280
- Has liked: 561 times
- Been liked: 264 times
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Jaan Kenbrovin
- Posts: 1305
- Old WHO Number: 269499
- Has liked: 78 times
- Been liked: 324 times
Re: King Billy
Bill was the walking embodiment of the club as a player. Gave me some of my best memories as a fan when he was manager under some very difficult times too.
The Villa park Semi final sums up what a powerful impact he had. Can't think of any comparison in sport that has happened before or since.
RIP Billy.
The Villa park Semi final sums up what a powerful impact he had. Can't think of any comparison in sport that has happened before or since.
RIP Billy.
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Matt Holmes
- Posts: 28
- Has liked: 80 times
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F 129 Row66
- Posts: 591
- Has liked: 285 times
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Re: King Billy
What a player,
What a man,
A true hero has left a gaping hole in the universe.
His family can look back with pride, and how the fans held him in such high esteem, when they named the stand after him.
What a man,
A true hero has left a gaping hole in the universe.
His family can look back with pride, and how the fans held him in such high esteem, when they named the stand after him.
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Outer Cape
- Posts: 18
- Location: Berkeley, California
- Been liked: 22 times
Re: King Billy
I remember watching the Big Match one Sunday, with Brian Moore’s voice coming out the TV. We were stuck in the Second Division, slogging it out at home on a pitch that was more mud than grass. I think we were playing Bolton.
Then Bonzo flew into a crunching tackle, scooped up the ball, and stormed thirty yards up the pitch like a man possessed.
Brian Moore’s words cut through the mud and the rain: "It looks like Billy Bonds is single-handedly trying to drag this club back into the First Division!"
He could have walked away, left us behind after three awful seasons in the old Second Division. But he didn’t. No, he stayed. He fought. He bled for us.
Then Bonzo flew into a crunching tackle, scooped up the ball, and stormed thirty yards up the pitch like a man possessed.
Brian Moore’s words cut through the mud and the rain: "It looks like Billy Bonds is single-handedly trying to drag this club back into the First Division!"
He could have walked away, left us behind after three awful seasons in the old Second Division. But he didn’t. No, he stayed. He fought. He bled for us.
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twoleftfeet
- Posts: 2866
- Old WHO Number: 214368
- Has liked: 121 times
- Been liked: 632 times
Re: King Billy
I still can’t believe he is dead 
It’s Billy Bonds! I expect him to get up and run it off
It’s Billy Bonds! I expect him to get up and run it off
Re: King Billy
oh dear II" wrote: ↑01 Dec 2025, 14:02 She simply said, quite innocently, “When West Ham were great, he was the greatest.”
I absolutely love this. Your Mrs is a wise woman.
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Massive Attack
- Posts: 7773
- Old WHO Number: 321955
- Has liked: 4521 times
- Been liked: 2393 times