Our #50GreatestHammers countdown, in association with our Official Investment Partner Basset & Gold, continues with John Bond being named at number 33...
John Bond
Years at West Ham: 1952-1965
Appearances: 444
Goals: 37
John Bond will always be remembered in the West Ham history books as being part of the team that won the Irons’ first ever FA Cup in 1964 against Preston North End, while also being part of the 1957/58 Division Two title winning team and the 1965 European Cup Winners’ Cup team.
Bond joined the Hammers in 1952 and made his first appearance for the club in a Division Two victory over Coventry City on 9 February.
It was in the 1954/55 season when the right-back became a first team regular in the West Ham side. During that season he scored his first goal against Hull City in a 1-0 Division Two victory.
In the Hammers’ Division Two title winning campaign of 1957/58, Bond netted eight goals in 41 appearances, as West Ham beat Blackburn Rovers to the title by a single point.
The goalscoring full-back continued his form in West Ham’s Division One campaign, starting all 42 matches that season and scoring seven goals. The following season Bond added another seven goals to his name.
In the memorable 1964 FA Cup winning season, Bond was an ever-present in the side. The full-back started in all seven games as the Hammers went all the way to Wembley before beating Preston North End in the final.
The following season was Bond’s last at West Ham United. He played his part in the glorious European Cup Winners’ Cup campaign, having featured four times in the run up to the final.
After leaving the Irons, Bond joined Torquay United where he made 130 appearances and scored 12 goals, before eventually hanging his boots up in 1969.
Bond then made the step in to coaching and enjoyed great success at AFC Bournemouth, Norwich City and Manchester City, among others.