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King Billy
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Pshyco scored all 4
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Re: King Billy
I knew Billy was ill at least 18 months ago . But typical of the great man he went about it quietly and with no fuss . He's without doubt the greatest west ham player of all time . Even above mooro and SIR Trevor. Not the most skilful. But he made up with it with sheer will power. Hopefully it won't be long before we regain bonzos beloved FA cup .
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Outer Cape
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Re: King Billy
Yesterday, I listened to the Football Guardian Podcast, and disatisfied with the tribute to Billy Bonds I wrote them a letter. I cut and pasted "Coffee one Sugar's" post but I could have chosen many of the posts on this thread.
This is the email I sent to the Guardian.
Hi Max, Barney and Barry, I’ve been a loyal listener to the podcast for years and continue to enjoy the work you and the team do. Keep it up.However, the brief note appended to the end of the West Ham - Liverpool match report, felt inadequate and, to be honest, borderline disrespectful.
A quick look at social media or YouTube shows the enormous and heartfelt outpouring of grief for a true club legend.I’d suggest sending a couple of your team to the next home game against Aston Villa to really understand what he meant to the club and its supporters.
As a keen listener, I’ve also noticed the growing disaffection among several contributors (Barney, Jonathan, Barry, for example) with the underlying business model of the modern game: the match-day entertainment packages, the transactional focus, surge pricing, gambling sponsors, irrelevant cups and competitions, corrupt organizations, human-rights-abuse sportswashing, and the media’s obsession with personalities and trivia.
Never has the gap between what Billy Bonds stood for and what the modern game represents felt so wide.
For context, the message below appeared on the West Ham fan site westhamonline.co.uk just hours after his death was announced.This was written on the West Ham fan site by “Coffee One Sugar”
"He was, and still is, an integral part of my growing up as a West Ham fan. When his name was on the team sheet, you knew, you really knew, that the team would put up a fight, even when it ended up in defeat which was not infrequent. He was usually the first one out of the dressing room afterwards while the others yapped and drank their milk or bottle of light ale or whatever they did knock back at that time.
He was a captain you could look up to, respect, and know that his first priority was always the interest of the club and its supporters. He was the kind of man you could look up to even from the distance of the terraces.
He had a presence on the field and was held in obvious respect by his team mates. He gave you confidence that you wouldn't be overcome by sheer effort or fight, nor by and in the joint effort of team and fan.I shall miss him, not because I knew the man but for the sense of justified pride that his memory cannot and will not erase.
They say you cannot measure a player by trophies and medals alone. If you could, the record books would gleam with the name of Billy Bonds. But his legacy is not carved from silver or gold; it is etched into the very soul of a football club, into the stands of Upton Park, and into the hearts of generations who were privileged to call him their own.
To watch Billy Bonds play was to understand the very essence of West Ham United. He was not merely a player who wore the claret and blue; he was its living, breathing, battling embodiment. For over two decades, he was the constant, the rock, the leader. He was a force of nature, a player whose heart seemed to beat with the collective pulse of the terraces.
He didn't just cover every blade of grass; he claimed it, defended it, and poured his being into it. His tackles were not just challenges; they were statements of intent, roars of defiance that echoed around the Boleyn Ground.
And what a captain he was. He didn't need an armband to lead, but he wore it with a king's authority and a soldier's humility. He was the man you would follow into battle, because you knew he would be the first into the breach and the last to leave. He led with a clenched fist, a determined stare, and an action that screamed: Follow Me. But beyond the warrior, there was a craftsman.
Beyond the grit, there was grace. He could truly play. He was a fusion of iron and silk, of passion and precision, each taking the fore when circumstance demanded. His legacy is multi-faceted. It lies in the standards he set - that of unwavering commitment, and of putting everything on the line for your cause.
He is the benchmark against which every captain, every player, and every heart that beats claret and blue is measured."
I have nothing to add to the above. To reduce the tribute to a verbal caricature of a southeast London geezer falls way short of the mark.
Best,
Adrian Nunn
San Francisco, CA
This is the email I received back from Barry Glendenning of the Guardian.
Hi Adrian,
Thanks for the mail. You say you found our tribute to Billy inadequate and borderline disrespectful but don't explain why, beyond describing it as "a verbal caricature of a southeast London geezer". That bears little or no relation to the tribute I remember hearing at the time and none to the tribute I just re-listened to, in case it had in some way got completely mangled in the edit and emerged sounding inadequate and disrespectful. That is not the case.
Billy’s love for West Ham, his legendary status, his uncompromising excellence as a player and leader, his striking looks and athletic physique, his longevity and his legendary status were all mentioned, as well as the incontrovertible fact that he was from south-east London, the same neck of the woods as Barney, who spoke about him with obvious fondness, bordering on reverence: "He was a very reassuring figure: you liked him, you respected him ... he was a perfect professional."
I am very sorry for what is obviously a sad loss for you and other West Ham fans, and while it's not for me to dictate what you or anyone else should find inadequate or offensive, I think you're way wide of the mark in saying we were even remotely disrespectful to Billy’s memory or legacy.
Cheers,
Barry
This is the email I sent to the Guardian.
Hi Max, Barney and Barry, I’ve been a loyal listener to the podcast for years and continue to enjoy the work you and the team do. Keep it up.However, the brief note appended to the end of the West Ham - Liverpool match report, felt inadequate and, to be honest, borderline disrespectful.
A quick look at social media or YouTube shows the enormous and heartfelt outpouring of grief for a true club legend.I’d suggest sending a couple of your team to the next home game against Aston Villa to really understand what he meant to the club and its supporters.
As a keen listener, I’ve also noticed the growing disaffection among several contributors (Barney, Jonathan, Barry, for example) with the underlying business model of the modern game: the match-day entertainment packages, the transactional focus, surge pricing, gambling sponsors, irrelevant cups and competitions, corrupt organizations, human-rights-abuse sportswashing, and the media’s obsession with personalities and trivia.
Never has the gap between what Billy Bonds stood for and what the modern game represents felt so wide.
For context, the message below appeared on the West Ham fan site westhamonline.co.uk just hours after his death was announced.This was written on the West Ham fan site by “Coffee One Sugar”
"He was, and still is, an integral part of my growing up as a West Ham fan. When his name was on the team sheet, you knew, you really knew, that the team would put up a fight, even when it ended up in defeat which was not infrequent. He was usually the first one out of the dressing room afterwards while the others yapped and drank their milk or bottle of light ale or whatever they did knock back at that time.
He was a captain you could look up to, respect, and know that his first priority was always the interest of the club and its supporters. He was the kind of man you could look up to even from the distance of the terraces.
He had a presence on the field and was held in obvious respect by his team mates. He gave you confidence that you wouldn't be overcome by sheer effort or fight, nor by and in the joint effort of team and fan.I shall miss him, not because I knew the man but for the sense of justified pride that his memory cannot and will not erase.
They say you cannot measure a player by trophies and medals alone. If you could, the record books would gleam with the name of Billy Bonds. But his legacy is not carved from silver or gold; it is etched into the very soul of a football club, into the stands of Upton Park, and into the hearts of generations who were privileged to call him their own.
To watch Billy Bonds play was to understand the very essence of West Ham United. He was not merely a player who wore the claret and blue; he was its living, breathing, battling embodiment. For over two decades, he was the constant, the rock, the leader. He was a force of nature, a player whose heart seemed to beat with the collective pulse of the terraces.
He didn't just cover every blade of grass; he claimed it, defended it, and poured his being into it. His tackles were not just challenges; they were statements of intent, roars of defiance that echoed around the Boleyn Ground.
And what a captain he was. He didn't need an armband to lead, but he wore it with a king's authority and a soldier's humility. He was the man you would follow into battle, because you knew he would be the first into the breach and the last to leave. He led with a clenched fist, a determined stare, and an action that screamed: Follow Me. But beyond the warrior, there was a craftsman.
Beyond the grit, there was grace. He could truly play. He was a fusion of iron and silk, of passion and precision, each taking the fore when circumstance demanded. His legacy is multi-faceted. It lies in the standards he set - that of unwavering commitment, and of putting everything on the line for your cause.
He is the benchmark against which every captain, every player, and every heart that beats claret and blue is measured."
I have nothing to add to the above. To reduce the tribute to a verbal caricature of a southeast London geezer falls way short of the mark.
Best,
Adrian Nunn
San Francisco, CA
This is the email I received back from Barry Glendenning of the Guardian.
Hi Adrian,
Thanks for the mail. You say you found our tribute to Billy inadequate and borderline disrespectful but don't explain why, beyond describing it as "a verbal caricature of a southeast London geezer". That bears little or no relation to the tribute I remember hearing at the time and none to the tribute I just re-listened to, in case it had in some way got completely mangled in the edit and emerged sounding inadequate and disrespectful. That is not the case.
Billy’s love for West Ham, his legendary status, his uncompromising excellence as a player and leader, his striking looks and athletic physique, his longevity and his legendary status were all mentioned, as well as the incontrovertible fact that he was from south-east London, the same neck of the woods as Barney, who spoke about him with obvious fondness, bordering on reverence: "He was a very reassuring figure: you liked him, you respected him ... he was a perfect professional."
I am very sorry for what is obviously a sad loss for you and other West Ham fans, and while it's not for me to dictate what you or anyone else should find inadequate or offensive, I think you're way wide of the mark in saying we were even remotely disrespectful to Billy’s memory or legacy.
Cheers,
Barry
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happygilmore
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Re: King Billy
I place Bobby, Trevor & Billy on a par at the top, above everyone else.
We will never see their likes again playing for West Ham or at any English club for that matter.
The likes of the "Super Sunday" display between Chelsea V Arsenal I turned off . Can't stand most of the modern cheating overpaid footballers.
We will never see their likes again playing for West Ham or at any English club for that matter.
The likes of the "Super Sunday" display between Chelsea V Arsenal I turned off . Can't stand most of the modern cheating overpaid footballers.
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Eastside surge
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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
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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
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Massive Attack
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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
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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
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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
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Pub Bigot
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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
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Jaan Kenbrovin
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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
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