Bonds unlikely to be honoured at OS

Irons legend Billy Bonds is unlikely to have a stand named after him at the Olympic Stadium.

A group of West Ham fans put together a petition calling for the Olympic Stadium East Stand to be renamed the Billy Bonds Stand and at the time of writing the petition stood at 969 fans calling for him to be honoured.

But the release of a previously confidential agreement between the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) and West Ham United appears to confirm it won’t happen.

Although financial figures have been blacked out in the latest publication of the stadium agreement, the contract reveals that West Ham  negotiated to retain the right to name the south and north stands which they have already named the Bobby Moore and Sir Trevor Brooking stands which is identical to the current Boleyn Ground.

Unfortunately West Ham were not able to secure no rights to name the East and West Ham stands which leaves the possibility the rights will be sold to sponsors by stadium owners E20 Stadium LLP.

Billy also missed out when the lounges and bars were named with only Arnold Hills and Bobby Moore getting named recognition.The lounges and bars have been named the BM6 Lounge, Arnold Hills, Royal East, Forge Lounge, Great Briton, the Academy bar and the Boleyn Bar.

The Club’s all-time record 793 appearance-maker, two-time FA Cup-winning captain and four-time Hammer of the Year also served as a youth coach under John Lyall.