Memory Lane Billy Bonds RIP

[Oxymoron]

The man that took Joey to West Ham, later describing it as the worst bit of business he ever did.

West Ham legend Billy Bonds dies aged 79

West Ham legend Billy Bonds MBE dies aged 79.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Marked Ox]

RIP.

 

[Peterdev]

Rest in peace, Billy. When I lived in Essex, I often saw West Ham and they had very dependable players. Trevor Brooking, Phil Parkes, my distant cousin, Alan. I knew Tommy Taylor well too. Had a pub nearby, and had a Guinness label on his car where the tax disc should have been. He brought a chocolate liqueur back from Malta and sold it as old Tom.
Billy had great ability and had the rare distinction of playing almost 700 times for West Ham

 

[stokeu]

Never played for England for some reason. Possibly the second best player ever with that lack of achievement after Trevor Hebberd......

 

[Ewes]

Fantastic player and talisman, did everything for that club including in many roles. Won’t be forgotten, but I did lose a little respect for him over the way he spoke about Joey not setting at West Ham, and I think Billy walked away from active roles soon after that.

 

[dickwalton1964]

Now there’s a proper hard man. Forget your Vinnie Jones’ and to a degree Roy Keane’s, Bonds was as hard as granite. No shouting from the rooftops, no posturing, just 800 games for one club and that bloke never shirked anything - short sleeved shirt, socks around his ankles and a more committed footballer you will not have seen.

If I hark back to growing up in the 70’s I always say the three bravest players I ever saw weren’t the ones reputed to be hard - Norman Hunter, Chopper Harris etc - but the ones who never whinged, never shirked a battle and just got on with the job in an uncomplaining fashion. Those three - Billy Bonds, Denis Smith and George Best.

RIP.

 

[Belgium Yellow]

Talking of him being a hard man, I saw him get sent off at the Manor in a reserve team fixture, around 1986 or so. I think it was 0-0.

 

[bazzer9461]

RIP Bonzo saw him a few times back in the 70’s a hard man but a fair man and a gentleman