Bonds: I’d rather still be playing, but it’s a lovely thing to happen!

 

“I am very proud. I am looking forward to it and all my family are as well. It’s a wonderful thing to happen. I’ll be very proud when I walk out on that pitch.

“It’s something you’d never expect to happen. There’s Trevor and Mooro at either end, two people I loved, so to be in between them is fantastic.

“I’d rather still be playing, but it’s a lovely thing to happen! It doesn’t happen to many people, so it’s a fantastic honour.

“I’ve got fond memories of the Club. The fans are fantastic and have always been good to me, so this is the icing on the cake. I never thought it would come as usually they leave it until you’re dead, but I’m going to see it!

“I’ve got all girls in the family and they can’t wait to come over and see it, so it’s a great honour for the family and for me.”

I’d rather still be playing, but it’s a lovely thing to happen! It doesn’t happen to many people, so it’s a fantastic honour

Billy Bonds MBE

Pride and humility are two characteristics which Billy Bonds MBE has in abundance – and they are both pouring out of the words he used to sum up his feelings towards today’s historic events.

On Saturday afternoon, West Ham United’s all-time leading appearance-maker, two-time FA Cup-winning captain and four-time Hammer of the Year will follow in the footsteps of two of his closest friends, Bobby Moore OBE and Sir Trevor Brooking, in having a London Stadium stand named in his honour.

All three are Claret and Blue royalty, true Kings of East London. Moore, Brooking and Bonds are officially the three Greatest Hammers in the Club’s 124-year history.

Now, all three will be immortalised.

 

Billy Bonds adorns the cover of the Official Programme

 

Order your Official Programme now!

To read Billy Bonds' full interview and much, much more exclusive content, download or purchase Saturday's 100-page Souvenir Official Programme.

The print edition will be available to buy in and around the London Stadium on matchday and can be ordered online here.

The Digital Official Programme is available to download to your iPad or iPhone, Android devices, PC and Mac and via the Pocketmags app on kindle fire and Blackberry Playbook from 9am on matchday.

Whether you live overseas or just want to consume your content on the way to London Stadium, that means you can download your Digital Programme before kick-off, with the game being televised live in a large number of countries across the world.