West Ham said it was with “deep sadness and heavy hearts” that their “legendary player, coach and manager” passed away peacefully on Sunday morning.
The club said: “A period of appreciation to honor Billy will be held before kick-off in today’s Premier League home match versus Liverpool, and the full tribute will take place at our next home match against Aston Villa on Sunday, December 14.
“Other tributes will also appear on club channels in the coming days.
“Rest in peace Billy, our courageous, inspirational, lion-hearted leader.”
Bonds, who played as a defender and midfielder, joined West Ham from Charlton Athletic for £47,000 in May 1967 and, along with FA Cup successes, he also won the old Second Division title with the club.
He made his final appearance in April 1988 at the age of 41 and Bonds, who received an MBE for services to football in the same year, took over as Hammers manager in 1990.
Bonds, who never played for England, twice achieved promotion to the top division of English football and left West Ham in 1994 “after 27 years of impeccable service”.
He was given the club’s first lifetime achievement award in 2013 and, five years later, Hammers fans voted him their greatest ever player.
In 2019, Bonds had a stand at West Ham’s home London stadium named after him as he joined fellow club greats Bobby Moore and Sir Trevor Brooking in being recognized in this way.
“This is a huge honor and means a lot to me and my family,” he said at the time.
“To think I’m only the third West Ham player to receive this honor after Bobby Moore and Trevor Brooking – you can’t get much better than that.”
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