Tributes have been paid to much-loved Beith man and former footballer, Alan Ewing, who has died at the age of 52.
Born in Paisley, Alan, also known by his nickname ‘Rube’, attended Beith PS and Garnock Academy, joining the school football team as a teenager and beginning his career in the sport which “was everything to him”.
The talent featured for Beith Juniors in the 1980s then spent four years at Stranraer FC before signing for Coleraine in Northern Ireland in 1992. He then moved on to Linfield FC in 1995 where he scored against Shakhtar Donetsk in a Cup Winners Cup qualifier.
He returned to Beith Juniors in 1997 where he made 138 appearances over the next six seasons, scoring 20 goals.
A plasterer, Alan was also well-known in the community - helping out at Beith community garden and dressing up as Santa Claus at Christmas, helping to bring some much-needed festive spirit to children in the town.
Alan’s sister, Elaine, and father, Robert, told the Herald: “At age 13 he started playing for Cranberry Moss Boy’s Club in Kilwinning. They won for five years in a row and won everything at boys club level. They went on various trips to Holland where they played interclub tourneys and won them as well.
“He then went on to play with Beith Juniors and when he was older helped with Beith Amateurs. Football was everything to him.
“He had a lot of roles in the community. This year at Christmas he dressed up as Santa and went round all the kids and had them like the Pied Piper on Christmas Eve”
They continued: “He was never known by his name but always by his nickname, Rube. When the World Cup was on, all the older boys had nicknames after the players.
“Alan was only four or five but he wanted a name as well so they gave him the name of the Argentinian player, Rubén Ayala.”
Sadly, on August 25, Alan was found dead by police.
Responding to the tragic news, Alan’s former club Linfield FC donned black armbands and held a minute’s silence for the man before their game against Crusaders FC on Sunday.
His family added: “Unfortunately his mental health wasn’t in a good place which has led us to where we are now.”
Chris Irving, Beith Juniors Secretary, said: “Everyone at the club was truly saddened when we heard the news of Alan’s passing
“Rube was every young boy in Beith’s hero growing up due to what he had achieved - scoring in Europe being a highlight.
“The club will pay our respects to Rube at our next home match on September 4.”
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