Guest Post by Tim Crane
_With the launch of They Played with Billy Bonds – The West Ham Years_, Tim Crane continues his series of books which started in 2014 with They Played with Bobby Moore and continued in 2017 with They Played for John Lyall. Tim shares his journey of tracking down and interviewing the 102 (yes 102!) first team Hammers who played with the great Billy Bonds.
The starting point for the book was a letter to Billy Bonds in September 2019, asking his permission to set out on the task of talking to each and every one of his 102 former teammates. The following day, Billy called to say; “If you’re mad enough to do that, of course I’ll support you!” The day was September 17 – Billy’s birthday. Yet, another measure of the man.
The first consideration was centred on who would write the foreword for the book. The obvious two candidates were Billy’s very close friends of 50+ years; Sir Trevor Brooking and Bryan ‘Pop’ Robson. Billy’s response was unequivocal. “Ask them both!” Naturally, Sir Trevor and Pop obliged and the book benefits from their heartfelt contributions.
One of the most pleasing features in the book from me is the fact that Billy took the time to discuss each and every one of his teammates. It took several phone calls over many hours and I believe it has never been done before in any book. Each and every one of the 102 player profiles in the book begins with a quote from Billy himself.
The book preserves a special time in the Club’s history – that period between 1967 and 1988 – when two FA Cups and a promotion were won and Captain Billy also led the team out in both a European and League Cup final. For Billy personally it was a time when he won four Hammer of the Year awards, A PFA Merit Award and an MBE.
The 375-page hard back book is awash with over 500 photographs from player archives, and more than 100,000 words from those who knew Billy best of all. The outpouring of affection is both powerful and enduring. Frank Lampard senior springs to mind. No Hammer made more appearances with Billy Bonds than two-time FA Cup winner Frank Lampard snr. Yet his reflections of Billy centred on something entirely different. “One of my greatest achievements at West Ham wasn’t winning those two FA Cups, it was getting Bill out to the opening of my pub, The Britannia!”
There is a poignant insight into the close friendship Harry Redknapp shared with Billy during his early years at the Club, but this is not a book for those looking for controversy. It centres solely on Billy’s playing days and you can expect tales of Buccaneering Billy, fit as a butcher’s dog Billy, no-nonsense Billy, Card school Billy, warrior Bill, the great protector, the family man and the heart-on-sleeve, never- say- die claret and blue Trojan. Harry’s own tale of Billy’s encounter with Everton’s Johnny Morrissey is a corker but laughter turns to sadness when Harry reflects on the reality of a 26-year silence between the former pair of muckers.
It is remarkable to observe that Billy played with Geoff Hurst and Tony Cottee, with Ronnie Boyce and Paul Ince, Clyde Best and Leroy Rosenior, Bobby Ferguson and Phil Parkes, and with Frank Lampard snr and Julian Dicks. In the words of Tony Gale, “Billy Bonds played in all eras.”
The book is a truly global effort with some great names from West Ham United’s lofty history such as Ade Coker in Seattle, Yilmaz Orhan in Las Vegas, Clyde Best in Bermuda, Bertie Lutton in Melbourne, Tommy McQueen in Glasgow, Bobby Howe in Seattle, Ted MacDougall in Florida, Keith Coleman in Cyprus, John Sissons in Cape Town, George Cowie and Neil Orr both in Australia and even Joe Durrell, Mark Smith and Alan Dickens in Stepney, Plaistow and just off the Barking Road! I even managed to track down the super elusive former Hammers’ keeper, Tom McAlister. It was well worth the wait.
There is some wry humour throughout the book, too. Julian Dicks dares to call the Club legend a “Pussy” because he only got sent off twice! While Frank McAvennie recalls how Bill introduced him to a nip of Brandy before a match. “Tell Bill I’m raising a glass to him right now!”
The stories are timeless and will never change. When we have all flipped our mortal coil there will always be a place to go to read about the endeavours and achievements of the great Billy Bonds and his 102 teammates.
The day he called to say how much he enjoyed the book was my own winning cup final moment.
They Played with Billy Bonds – The West Ham Years is available from the author at via his website www.thewesthamyears.com. Tim also sends an occasion newsletter to over 150 ex Hammers and you are most welcome to receive it. Send your email details to tcrane183@gmail.com.