Four West Ham Legends you Probably don’t know

West Ham United returned to the Premier League back in 2005, they finished the table at the ninth position at the end of the 2005/06 campaign.   

Ever since the Hammers have been ever-present in the English Top Flight being a constant threat to the big six.  

The Hammers were not only a constant threat in the English League but also in all of Europe. West Ham has won so many trophies ever since the club’s creation in 1895, which is 124 years ago.  

Today, we will be looking at West Ham legends, who took part in their glory days.  

 

• BILLY BONDS  

You could say Billy Bonds is one of the greatest of all-time footballer to have ever graced a West Ham shirt. Bill started his professional football career as a defender for Charlton Athletic, where he played for three seasons before joining the Hammers in 1967.  

He was signed to the Hammers by then-manager Ron Greenwood for a fee reported to be £50,000. After three seasons playing as a reliable right-back for the club, Greenwood had Billy switch to the midfield, where he played alongside playmaker Trevor Brooking. In the 70s Billy became a beast in the midfield for the Hammers he scored a whopping 13 goals during the 1973/74 campaign, including his first hat-trick against Chelsea.   

He was handed the Captain armband after the departure of Bobby Moore in 1974. He led his team to an FA Cup title in 1975 having defeated London rivals Fulham in the final and the final of the 1976 European Cup Winners’ Cup, he succumbed to a groin injury during the match.  

West Ham was relegated at the end of 1977/78 but that didn’t stop them from winning the FA Cup in 1980 after claiming a victory over Arsenal, a First Division club, in the final. He helped the club return to the First Division during the 1980/81 campaign.  

At the age of 41, Billy Bonds officially retire from professional football at the end of the 1987/88 campaign having suffered a knee injury earlier that season. There might not be a Youtube clip of how skilful or impressive at the defence or midfield Billy was but he went down as one of the most prolific West Ham legends ever.  

Billy was able to make 799 appearances for the Hammers scoring 61 goals in the process. The East Stand at the London Stadium has officially been renamed as the Billy Bonds Stand, it was announced in February 2019.  

 

• TREVOR BROOKING 

   

Trevor Brooking is one of the few players to have played alongside Billy Bonds. His playmaking abilities in the team are one thing to worry about when you’re on the opposite side.  

West Ham was able to stir off challenges from Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea to sign Brooking to the club in 1965. Brooking made his official senior team debut in a friendly match against Grasshopper Zurich in 1967, while his League debut came in a 3-3 draw against Burnley at Turf Moor coming on as a substitute for Brian Dear that same year.  

Brooking, however, struggled to break into the first team of West Ham during his early career years with the club mostly due to re-occurring injuries at the time.  

He was handed the number 10 shirt during the 1971/72 campaign and became ever-present for the Greenwood’s team that season, playing impressively which earned the Hammer of the Year award.  

Brooking helped the club win the FA Cup twice, having scored the only goal in the 1-0 win against Arsenal in the Final. He played his last match for West Ham in 1984. And just like Billy Bonds,   

Brooking is also famously known as one of the West Ham legends having his stand at the London Stadium.

 

• BOBBY MOORE

   

If you are a West Ham fan and you have not heard of the name Bobby Moore then you are a… I don’t know what to say. Moore is a very famous footballer not only for the Hammers but also known in all of Europe.   

Putting on the number six jersey, Moore made his first professional league debut for the club against Manchester United in 1956. Playing as a defender, Moore was highly regarded for his ability to read the game and anticipating his opponents move before they made them.   

He is highly regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time, with Pele also tagging him to be the greatest defender he had ever played against.  

Moore was able to register 647 games for West Ham scoring 27 goals in the process. He was pivotal in helping his team win the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup and FA Charity Shield during the 1964/65 campaign, he also helped them lift the FA Cup.  

However, he was not mainly known for his time with West Ham, as he helped his country England win the FIFA World Cup in 1966. He was a runner-up to the Ballon d’Or in 1970.  You should check out the most expensive football boots, while you are at it.

In 1994, Bobby Moore was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which he defeated but in 1993 he was beaten by a bowel and liver cancer.  

He was named the Player of the Century by PFA and he made the FIFA World Cup All-Time XI  

Right after his death, he was listed in BBC’s top 100 Greatest Britons. And in 2007 the statue of Moore was established right outside the newly renovated Wembley Stadium.  

To go down as a West Ham legend, the club officially retired their number 6 and has a Stand named after him in the London Stadium.  

 

• ALVIN MARTIN  

Alvin Martin signed for West Ham United in the summer of 1974 as an apprentice and made his official debut in a game against Aston Villa in 1978.  

Playing as a defender, Martin spent 21 long seasons with the club with his high-level skill at the centre back. He was able to achieve a rare feat of scoring bagging a hat-trick against three different Newcastle United goalkeepers. In his years as a West Ham legend, Martin was often called “Stretch” by his teammates.  

Alvin Martin was able to help the club lift the FA Cup in 1980, and according to Wiki Martin registered 598 games for the west London club and scoring 34 goals for them. He might not be well known but his ability to make tackles, and defend against the opposing balls is one that has been noted in English Football.  

 

• Other West Ham Legends are  

Ludek Miklosko – A prolific goalkeeper, who manned the goal post for 374 games for the Hammers.  

 

• Paolo Di Canio  

An Italian forward, who played for five seasons with the club, registered 141 appearances scoring 51 goals and helping them win the UEFA Intertoto Cup in the process.  

 

• Trevor Sinclair  

Being a winger for the club Trevor Sinclair played 206 games for the Hammers scoring 38 goals and he was part of the team that won the UEFA Intertoto Cup.  

Those are our most notable West Ham United Legends in all time.