Ronnie Boyce

Ronald William Boyce (6 January 1943 – 13 February 2025) was an English professional footballer who played his entire career for West Ham United, making 282 Football League appearances for them.

Early life and education

Boyce attended East Ham Grammar School.

Career Boyce played for England schoolboys football team and for Essex Schoolboys at cricket. He joined West Ham as an apprentice in 1959 and made his first-team debut in a Southern Floodlight Cup game against Millwall on 13 October 1959. His first Football League game was over a year later, on 22 October 1960, in a 5–2 home win against Preston North End. He made a total of 342 appearances for West Ham in all competitions, scoring 29 goals. This included 282 league appearances between 1960 and 1972, in which he scored 21 goals. He also made 22 FA Cup appearances, scoring five goals, the most important of which was the winner in the 3–2 win over Preston North End in the 1964 FA Cup Final. He was also a member of the 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup–winning team on 19 May 1965. His nickname, "Ticker", relates to his role as the "heartbeat" of those cup wins. His final appearance for West Ham came on 30 December 1972 in a 2–1 away defeat to Leicester City.

Later life and death Boyce was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by West Ham in 2019.

Boyce died on 13 February 2025, at the age of 82.

Honours West Ham FA Cup: 1963–64 FA Charity Shield: 1964 European Cup Winners' Cup: 1964–65