John Alan Wills, 1938-2024
John Wills was born in Brentford in 1938, and he joined the ground staff at Lord’s when he was 16. He played Minor Counties cricket with Bedfordshire, for Middlesex Seconds and Glamorgan Seconds.
As a result of a job promotion, he came to Ireland and joined Phoenix for whom he played from 1969 to 1972. A change of job meant a transfer to Cork, and he played for Cork County for a number of seasons. When he came back to Dublin, he joined Leinster, and played at that club from 1977 to 1988. In Leinster Cricket, John played 246 games, and took 575 wickets at an average of 15.29.
John played cricket until he was 50 and then he became involved in coaching and coach education. Over the years, he coached the Ireland men’s team, the Ireland women’s team, and he was club coach at The Hills from 2005 until 2018 during which time The Hills won the Irish Senior Cup in 2012 and 2014. He won the Cricket Ireland Coach of the Year in 2012, and he was inducted into Cricket Leinster’s Hall of Fame in 2013.
John Wills was an absolute gentleman, always courteous, always kind and extremely generous with his time. He was the personification of the Spirit of Cricket, and always sought to uphold the game’s values.
He loved the camaraderie at The Hills and was loved by one and all at The Vineyard. He was awarded Life Membership of The Hills, and he insisted on making a very generous contribution to the club when he retired as coach.
His influence on the players was best summed up by Luke Clinton when he heard the news of John’s death. “He was a great man. He changed my life as a cricketer and as a person. What a man!
To John’s family and friends, we offer our deepest condolences.
(All photographs are courtesy of Joe Curtis)