West Ham said it was with “deep sadness and the heaviest of hearts” that their “legendary player, coach and manager” had passed away peacefully on Sunday morning.

The club added: “A period of appreciation to honour Billy will be held before kick-off at today’s Premier League home fixture v Liverpool, and a full tribute will take place at our next home fixture against Aston Villa, on Sunday, 14 December.

“Further tributes will also appear across club channels in the coming days.

“Rest in peace Billy, our courageous, inspirational, lion-hearted leader.”

Bonds joined West Ham from Charlton Athletic for £47,000 in May 1967 and, along with the FA Cup successes, he also won the old second division title with the club.

He was awarded an MBE for services to football in 1988 before going on to take over as Hammers manager in 1990.

Bonds twice won promotion into English football’s top division and left West Ham in 1994 “after 27 years of impeccable service”.

He was given the club’s first ever lifetime achievement award in 2013 and, five years later, the Hammers fans voted him their greatest ever player.

In 2019, Bonds had a stand at West Ham’s London Stadium home named after him as he joined fellow club greats Bobby Moore and Sir Trevor Brooking in being recognised in this way.

“It’s a great honour and means so much to me and my family,” he said at the time.

“To think that I am only the third West Ham player to receive this honour after Bobby Moore and Trevor Brooking – you can’t get better than that.”