Tributes have this week been paid to a heroic Polish Auschwitz survivor and former Alloa Athletic and Stirling Albion star who has passed away at the age of 101. Before the game against Stirling on Saturday both teams will be doing a minutes applause.

Jan Szpula passed away peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by his family, at Randolph Hill Nursing Home in Dunblane on Wednesday 20th March 2024. Beloved husband of the late Jean. Loving father to John and Angela, grandfather to Christopher, Alexander, Blair, Isla and great- grandfather to Hannah, Isaac and Imogen. His grandson Blair McLennan still plays football at the Indodrill Stadium with the over 35’s group on Sunday evenings.

Born in the Polish village of Lasiska Górne, a mining town in the south of the country, close to the Czech border, he grew up in a family of five, with father Augustyn and mother Maria as well as older sister and older brother – also named Maria and Augustyn.

At the tender age of 16, brave Jan joined the Army at the outbreak of the Second World War broke out – walking with his brother and father more than 125 miles over three days to enlist.

He spent time during the war in forced labour in Germany and Auschwitz and also with the Polish Army in Poland, Russia, Belgium and France. His grieving family this week paid tribute, saying: “He lived a great life and he adored his family, especially his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

“He will be sadly missed by all who knew him as he was a tremendous character who always had an interesting story to tell. Much-loved Jan has been described as a “tremendous character who always had an interesting story to tell”. “He could keep you entertained for hours about his childhood, wartime Europe, football, golf and Rossleigh garages. He led a very eventful life and we are all glad to have spent so much time with him.” A keen footballer, Jan played for the Polish Army, who toured Scotland at the time. He was eventually offered a room at the house of Frank Robertson, in Wallace Gardens, Causewayhead.

He later starred for Ayrshire junior side, Beith. While playing for the North Ayrshire outfit, Jan stayed in Causewayhead, where he met his future wife Jean – Frank’s third eldest daughter. The happy couple tied the knot in 1956 and had two children, John and Angela, who are both now in their 60s.

After exiting Beith, Jan then signed for Alloa Athletic and made 27 appearances for “The Wasps,” scoring ten goals in 1947/48, before finally signing for his adopted hometown team, Stirling Albion. During the 1949/50 season, Jan contracted tuberculosis – believed to have been the result of the war – and ultimately, he had to retire from football amidst a flurry of interest from clubs both north and south of the border.

During his spell with Stirling Albion – from September 1948 to May 1950 – he played in the promotion-winning team of 1948-49 and part of the 1949-50 season in Scotland’s top flight. Jan played 38 games for the Albion, scoring eight goals. When his football career was cut short, a testimonial match was arranged to raise funds for him. The match took place in September 1952, with a Stirling Albion side losing 5-1 to a Stirlingshire Select side.

When he moved to the Stirling area, Jan worked at Rossleigh garages, which were initially at Allan Park and then at Wallace Street, as a chauffeur and valet with the firm. While working there, he often drove luxury cars, including a Rolls Royce for royalty in Edinburgh. It was at Rossleigh that Jan learned to play golf, and this was a great passion during his retirement years, and he went on to become a member of Dollar Golf Club. Jan celebrated his 100th birthday on 6th January 2023.

A funeral service was held yesterday at Logie Kirk before Jan was buried in Logie cemetery.