Tributes paid to West Ham legend Billy Bonds at home game against Liverpool | OneFootball

West Ham paid tribute to club legend Billy Bonds, who has died aged 79, ahead of Sunday’s kick-off against Liverpool.

Bonds remains the longest-serving player in West Ham’s history and made 799 appearance for the club across a 21-year career.

He won the FA Cup twice with the Irons as well as the Second Division title, four Hammer of the Year awards, and had two testimonials, and claimed both a PFA merit award and an MBE for services to football.

The club released a statement confirming he had passed away on Sunday, paying tribute to “our courageous, inspirational, lion-hearted leader”.

And tributes were paid ahead of West Ham’s fixture against Liverpool, held at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

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Billy Bonds lifted the FA Cup twice with the Hammers (PA Archive)

A large banner of Bonds holding the FA Cup after the win against Fulham in the 1975 final adorned both ends before kick-off, while a video montage was played to honour his storied career.

Players from both teams lined up in the centre circle for a minute of applause, with the whole stadium on its feet, before West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen laid a shirt bearing Bonds’ No 4 in front of his eponymous stand. Another moving round of applause followed four minutes in.

West Ham’s players wore black armbands in his memory.

Bowen said on Sky Sports before the game: “You can see the reaction from everyone online already, what he meant to this club, what he achieved at this club, obviously a stand named after him as well, so it is a sad day for everyone. Our condolences all go to his family, I know the supporters here will make noise for him today as well.

“He is probably going to go down as West Ham’s biggest legend, the best club captain that they have had as well. He achieved so much here. I will never emulate that success, but to put on the captain’s armband, especially like he did as well, for me is a big, big thing, so to have a game today is what I want to show and what the team want to show as well.”

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(Getty Images)

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(Getty Images)

Former midfielder Joe Cole also paid tribute to Bonds, describing the Irons’ former captain as “everything that’s good about West Ham”.

Speaking on TNT Sports, Cole said: “Billy Bonds was manager when I signed as a kid and he was really kind to me and my family. Growing up at West Ham, his name’s synonymous with the club.

“Everything that’s good about West Ham, Billy Bonds, that was him. It’s really sad news and thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

Following his playing career, Bonds became first-team manager in 1990 and led West Ham to promotion from Division Two as well as to the FA Cup semi-final in 1991, taking them back into the top flight - by then renamed the Premier League - in 1993 after their relegation the previous year.

In 2013 Bonds was presented with the club’s first-ever Lifetime Achievement award and he was voted by fans as West Ham United’s greatest-ever player five years later, having dedicated 27 years of service to the Irons.

In 2019 London Stadium named the Billy Bonds Stand in his honour. He is survived by daughters Claire and Katie, and grand-daughters Eloise and Elissa.