So the Hammers ‘holy trinity’ is complete with Bonzo joining Trevor Brooking and the great Mooro is places of honour at the London Stadium.
It feels right. It is so right that this should have happend. It’s been a long time coming but the wait has been more than worth it.
Mooro will be delighted… and Sir Trev now finds one of his great mates is alongside him and set to be immortalised at the London Stadium.
Make no mistake Bill is truly a great man and despite his fearsome approach on the field, off it is as gentle as they come.
He was always the first away after games because as a decicated family man he wanted to be back home as quickly as possible.
As the recipient of the first Lifetime award he was humble, and learning of the new honour that the East Stand was to be named after him – it was service as normal for the man who played 799 times for us in 21 years between 1967-1988.
He told West Ham TV: ” “You can’t get better than that, can you? They are two people who I admire, two lovely people, and two great footballers and two great friends.
“Mooro, I couldn’t believe it when I came to the club, he had just won the World Cup…
“Trevor needed looking after, he was so talented, and I was so lucky to play in midfield with someone like him because I always had a get-out ball. I’d just knock it to his back foot and sometimes he’d just let the ball run and beat somebody like that. He was a fantastic player.”
” I was “I was so lucky. Anyone who can have a career as long as I did, spanning as long as mine did, and can earn a living from it, what a way to earn a living!”
And of the fans he said: “From day one, they were always great with me. I think they all loved my buccaneering ways, the way I used to go around tackling and stuff, they used to like that.
“They’re working-class people and I think, if they see you give effort, and I always gave effort, first and foremost, and that quality in you, they forgive a lot of things.
“I loved playing in front of them. They’ve always been great for me and I’ve got this stand named after me and I owe a lot not just to Ron Greenwood and John Lyall because they looked after me, but I owe a lot to the fans because they gave me such great support.
“It’s no fun if you’re not one of their favourites. I remember a few people who it could be very tough for as they could be very harsh, but if they see effort they’ll get behind you and they’ve been great to me.”
Bill you think you were lucky, I’m bloody sure I was I watched the three of you right thru, how bad eh?!
Buccaneering. That’s the one word I would used to describe Billy Bonds. Sums him up perfectly. Probably my favourite player of all time. It will be an honour to sit in the stand named after him.