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Fans Vote For Top Five West Ham Captains of All-Time

By Justin Wasik

West Ham's top five captains. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
West Ham's top five captains. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /
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2. Billy Bonds

  • Joined West Ham: from Charlton Athletic for £50,000
  • Debut: Opening game of 1967-68 season against Sheffield United
  • Last game: April 1988 vs. Southampton
  • Hammer of the Year: Winner (1971, 1974, 1975, 1987)
  • Years as Captain: 1975-1984
  • Appearances: 799 – most all time
Billy Bonds is West Ham's leading appearance maker.
Billy Bonds is West Ham’s leading appearance maker: Allsport UK /Allsport /

Joining West Ham from Charlton Athletic for £50,000, Billy Bonds made his first West Ham appearance on the opening day of the 1967 season against Sheffield United. It would be Bonds’ first of 799 appearances in a West Ham shirt, to this day a West Ham record.

He was a consistent feature of the West Ham lineup, playing in 124 consecutive matches from his first season with the club to October 1970, when injury forced him out of the side.

Bonds started off his West Ham career primarily playing right back before manager Ron Greenwood moved him to the midfield for the 1970 season. Bonds scored more goals in this attacking-minded position. In fact, he scored 13 times for the Hammers during the 1973-74 season, topping the team that year.

After Bobby Moore left the club in 1974, Bonds was given the captain’s armband. Ironically, Bonds led West Ham to the FA Cup final against Fulham the very next year, the same Fulham side Bobby Moore joined. West Ham would win the game, 2-0.

Bonds was moved to a centre back role for the 1976 season as West Ham were short of defenders and Bonds was losing a bit of pace. After a tough first couple of seasons leading from the backline, Bonds once again lifted the FA Cup over Arsenal in 1980. Bonds is still the only West Ham captain to lift the FA Cup trophy twice.

Bonds retired at the end of the 1984 season, relinquishing his captaincy to Alvin Martin. Bonds did return to an injury-depleted West Ham team and made over 25 appearances the next season before an injury forced him to miss the entirety of the 1985-86 season that saw West Ham finish 3rd in the league.

Bonds played one more season in claret and blue before finally retiring for good in 1988. The East Stand was officially named the Billy Bonds stand in 2018. At six feet two, with eyes of blue, West Ham fans could always count on Billy Bonds coming for you.

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