His name may be unfamiliar to many fans - he appeared in just 8 first-team games, scoring once – but he was fortunate to be able to play alongside some of the greatest City stars of all time.

Mirek joined in 1977, having come to City’s attention whilst playing Sunday League football. At the time, he was training to be a physical education teacher at Worcester College of Higher Education.

Playing as a striker, he became a regular in the reserves and was their leading goalscorer over the next two seasons.

Mirek quickly showed sufficient promise to merit joining the first-team squad. He made his senior debut in a Welsh Cup tie in October 1977 and played his first Southern League game at home to Dover later that same month.

His only first-team goal was the winner in a 2-1 away win at Nuneaton Borough in April 1978, a header past former City goalkeeper Bob Knight.

Mirek was put on a contract by Nobby Clark during the championship-winning season of 1978/79 but he didn’t start another first game until City played Alvechurch in a Worcestershire Senior Cup replay during the week leading up to the famous F.A. Cup win over Plymouth Argyle. He suffered a knee ligament injury in that match and watched the Plymouth game from the home dugout with a pair of crutches by his side.

Mirek left Worcester when the club moved up to the Alliance Premier League to concentrate on finishing his studies. He joined Ledbury Town and helped them to gain their highest-ever finish, 5th in the West Midlands League in 1981/82. He then moved onto Bromsgrove Rovers in 1982. There, Mirek scored 32 goals in 87 appearances over the course of two seasons, in which time he formed a lethal partnership with Melvyn Langford. Between them, they scored 54 goals during the 1983/84 season.

He joined Gloucester City for the 1984/85 season but managed just 6 goals in 43 appearances before rejoining his old boss Nobby Clark at Redditch United. By now playing in midfield, he appeared alongside many past and future City players including Paul Hayward, Steve Fergusson, Tony Billingham, Colin Caddick, Trevor Whittington and Mark Whitehouse.

After retiring from football, Mirek enjoyed a long career in teaching at Light Hall school in Shirley and was a popular golfer at his home course in Solihull, playing alongside Nobby Clark’s grandsons (Dave Roberts’ boys) as well as City legend Steve Fergusson.

“He was a great man,” says Steve. “I played with him at Redditch and then on a Sunday for a few clubs, but most recently we played golf together at least 2 or 3 times a month. He will be sadly missed by me and so many people.”

- Piece by Julian Pugh, Club Historian