The great Bob Woolmer’s name will be perpetuated forever at Edgbaston after a hospitality box in the Aylesford Suite was named in his honour.
The box was officially christened ‘The Bob Woolmer Hospitality Box’ during the customary gathering of Warwickshire Old County Cricketers’ Association at the Edgbaston Test.
During a mighty career in domestic and international cricket, Woolmer built a globally-renowned reputation as one of the most innovative and successful coaches in world cricket.
Every single one of us from that era will acknowledge that Bob was a massive part of what we achieved. He was comfortably ten years ahead of his time.
Tim Munton
And among his many achievements is one which remains unparalleled – that of steering a county side to a domestic treble. He famously did that with the Bears in 1994, a feat which was followed up by securing two more trophies, including a second successive county championship, in ’95.
Many WOCCA members from successive generations, including MJK Smith, Dennis Amiss, John Jameson, Geoff Humpage, Asif Din, Ashley Giles, Tony Frost, Paul Best and Freddie Coleman, were in attendance to see the box named.
And among them was another huge contributor to the 1990s success, Tim Munton, who summed up the emotional tribute to one of the towering figures in Bears history.
“Bob was absolutely integral to the success we had in the ’90s,” Munton said. “We were just a bunch of players who came together in the late 1980s and went on a bit of a journey, with Andy Lloyd and Bob Cottam teaching us along the way, but it was Woolly’s finishing school that taught us how to win games of cricket.
“Every single one of us from that era will acknowledge that he was a massive part of what we achieved. He was comfortably ten years ahead of his time.
“When you think how the game has moved forward in recent years, well, in loads of ways Woolly was already there. Bob was doing things with us and challenging us in a way that is now second nature for coaches but back then was unheard of.
“It’s great that a hospitality box has been named in his honour at Edgbaston so he will be there with us whenever we meet. And to have a bunch of the guys from Bears teams down the years there to see the box named made it very special. It is a great gesture from the club and we are chuffed to bits with it.”
